SNOW TV NEWS DESK
Residents and community leaders across Ibeju District in Lagos State have launched a coordinated push for improved electricity supply from Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC, also referred to as Eko Power), citing long-standing outages, frequent feeder faults, poor communication, and what they describe as declining service delivery despite continued bill payments.
In a widely circulated statement dated December 6, residents declared “Enough is Enough” and outlined clear demands: immediate improvement in power supply across the district; urgent repair and rehabilitation of fault-prone feeders, transformers, and critical infrastructure; a written action plan with timelines for resolving recurring challenges; greater transparency and accountability on feeder faults, outages, and Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) load shedding; and fair, equitable treatment of Ibeju District in power allocation.
“Our homes, businesses, schools, hospitals, and livelihoods depend on electricity,” the statement read. “We are not asking for favors. We are demanding the service we pay for.” It closed with the rallying cry “Power is a necessity, not a privilege,” accompanied by hashtags including #LightUpIbeju, #EnoughIsEnough, #PowerForIbeju, and #EKEDCMustDoBetter.
The campaign gained fresh momentum in late October 2026. On October 28, organizers called on affected communities and estates to join by listing their names. Early participants included the Gbetu Community (Ibeju-Lekki), Tedo Housing Estate in Sangotedo (covering zones under THERA), Ashela Royal Estate in Alashela/Ogombo, Idiagbon/Bashorun Estate (covering areas under Majek), Awoyaya Teacher’s Estate, Awoyaya G. Cappa Estate, and MERA—a grouping of 31 private estates plus the Fasola government estate (about 3,800 residents) in the Monastery axis, along with commercial facilities such as Novare Shoprite, Giwa Gardens, Dominos, four supermarkets, and two event halls.
Alongside the mobilization, community leaders floated a specific one-month trial proposal to EKEDC covering 26 October to 26 November: a guaranteed supply of at least 12 hours of power every day. During this period, customers on estimated billing would pay nothing. If EKEDC meets the commitment, residents would pay their bills for the period covered. Community leaders pledged to help enforce payment by those who enjoyed the supply and refuse to pay. If the company falls short of the 12-hour daily target, leaders said they would support residents’ refusal to pay “for darkness.” The proposal was framed under hashtags including #NoLightNoBill, #NoLightNoVote, #NoLightNoElection, and #IbejulekkiAHEAD.
Power challenges in the Ibeju-Lekki corridor are not new. The area has repeatedly featured in reports of feeder outages, technical faults, and load-shedding. In September 2026, EKEDC reported disruptions affecting multiple feeders, including Ibeju, Ajah Local 1, and others across the Lekki-Ajah-Ibeju-Lekki axis, often linked to transmission-level issues involving TCN. Local government officials have publicly acknowledged the problem, with Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Chairman Abdullahi Sesan-Olowa highlighting efforts to restore supply to dozens of communities and engaging state energy officials. Lagos State has pointed to longer-term infrastructure projects, including a planned 132kV transmission line from Ajah to Eleko Junction, as part of efforts to address capacity constraints in the rapidly growing corridor.
EKEDC has in the past attributed irregular supply in parts of Ibeju to feeder overloading and frequent faults, sometimes implementing rotational supply while repairs are underway. The company has also cited broader grid constraints and external factors such as transmission line faults or weather-related disruptions.
SNOW TV EDITORIAL ANALYSIS
The Ibeju campaign reflects a familiar pattern in Nigeria’s electricity sector: customers who pay (or are billed) for service that is frequently unreliable grow frustrated and eventually organize. The demands for transparency, a clear action plan, and equitable allocation are reasonable and long overdue in an area experiencing rapid residential and commercial growth. Framing power as a necessity rather than a privilege correctly shifts the conversation from charity to contractual obligation.
The proposed one-month trial is a pragmatic, if unorthodox, attempt at accountability. By offering to pay once a reliable supply is demonstrated, residents are signalling willingness to meet their side of the bargain while refusing to subsidize darkness indefinitely. Whether EKEDC engages constructively will test the company’s customer-service culture and operational capacity. Sustained blackouts impose real economic and social costs—higher generator expenses, disrupted businesses, and reduced quality of life—that ultimately undermine both the utility’s revenue base and the broader development of the Lekki corridor.
Lasting improvement will require more than temporary deals. It depends on coordinated action among the distribution company, TCN, state and local governments, and communities to fix infrastructure bottlenecks, improve communication, and expand capacity. Residents’ organized pressure is a necessary catalyst; the real test is whether it produces measurable, sustained results rather than another cycle of promises and outages.
“Sir Bartholomew White Ebe is a Lagos-based media personality, Music Artist, Producer, and a Relationship Coach and independent journalist. With over seven years of experience tracking political developments and cultural shifts in Nigeria, he specializes in local current affairs, grassroots politics, and community-driven reporting across Lagos State. As the founder and chief editor of Snow Multimedia Connect {SNOW TV}, he leads the editorial team to deliver verified, high-impact stories to digital audiences.”
Email: snowmediaconnect@gmail.com
