Darkness & Decline: Electricity Crisis Costs South-East ₦28 Billion In Three Months
South-East Counts Cost of Persistent Blackouts
THE electricity crisis plaguing Nigeria’s South-East has cost businesses in the region more than ₦28 billion in just three months, according to the South East Electricity Consumers Association (SEECA).
The group has now urged governors in the zone to urgently prioritise electricity generation, describing it as the fastest route to industrial revival and economic transformation.
Speaking in Enugu, SEECA Coordinator, Dr. Sebastine Okafor, said the impact of persistent power shortages has been devastating, particularly for small and medium-scale enterprises already grappling with high operating costs and weak consumer spending.
Yuletide Losses and Business Closures
Okafor noted that the crisis worsened during the yuletide season — traditionally a peak commercial period — when traders, manufacturers and service providers depend heavily on stable electricity to maximise sales.
Instead, many businesses were forced to rely on generators powered by expensive diesel and petrol, further squeezing already thin profit margins.
“Electricity is the backbone of every modern economy,” Okafor said. “When power is unstable, industries suffer, jobs are lost, and poverty deepens. In the South-East today, small businesses are shutting down daily because they cannot sustain generator costs.”
He described the ₦28 billion estimated loss as a conservative figure, warning that the long-term economic impact could be significantly higher if the situation persists.
‘DisCos Cannot Share What They Don’t Have’
In a notable departure from common criticism, SEECA absolved electricity distribution companies (DisCos) in the region of primary blame. Okafor argued that the electricity value chain is complex and that distribution firms cannot supply power they do not receive from the national grid.
According to him, the South-East receives only about seven per cent of the total electricity generated nationwide — a figure he described as grossly inadequate for a region known for its entrepreneurial strength.
“You cannot blame the DisCos alone when they receive very little power to distribute,” he said. “Focusing solely on distribution without increasing generation only spreads scarcity.”
Call for Investment in Power Generation
SEECA questioned why governors in the zone appear more focused on electricity distribution projects rather than investing aggressively in generation capacity.
Okafor insisted that the region possesses sufficient gas resources, human capital and private-sector interest to develop independent power plants.
“Investing in power generation within the zone would reduce dependence on the national grid, revive factories, empower artisans and create jobs for young people,” he said.
He maintained that stable electricity would reduce poverty faster than many policy declarations, stressing that industrial growth cannot occur in darkness.
For SEECA, the path forward is clear: build generation capacity locally, partner with investors, and reclaim economic momentum before more businesses are forced to close their doors.
