Oyo communities celebrate as power returns after long blackout

Residents of Soka, Elebu and nearby areas in Ibadan, Oyo State, are happy to have electricity back after weeks of no power. The long blackout affected businesses, schools and access to basic services.

The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) announced on Friday that power has been restored. This followed a request for information from PUNCH Metro. The company said its team replaced a faulty 15MVA transformer that supplies the Soka area.

In their statement, IBEDC explained that the outage was caused by a problem with the transformer. They added that the situation was made worse by the increased demand for power due to upgrades being done at the Ire-Akara and Aweni Estates under the Band A feeder.

"Our technical team successfully replaced the faulty 15MVA power transformer, restoring electricity supply to all customers in the Soka area, including Band E customers," the statement said.

The company thanked residents and community leaders for their patience during the outage. They also urged customers to pay their electricity bills on time and report any faults or energy theft to help improve service.

The return of power has brought relief to residents and business owners who faced weeks, and sometimes months, of unstable electricity supply.

One resident from Soka, who goes by Mr Seyi, said the long blackout made life very difficult. "In the three years I have lived here, electricity has never been stable. Sometimes, we go for weeks or even months without power, and when it comes, it lasts for only about 30 minutes."

Mr Seyi added, "We depend on electricity to pump water, so we have had to fetch water from neighboring compounds. The heat has also been unbearable. We hope this restoration will be sustained."

The owner of Brain Hub Tech shared that the outage forced him to rely on a generator, which raised his monthly fuel costs to hundreds of thousands of naira. "I spend a large part of my profit on fuel just to keep my business running. I only hope this restoration marks the beginning of stable electricity supply," he said.

A fashion entrepreneur, Mrs Rosabel, mentioned she spent a lot on fuel and sometimes used a gas iron because of the blackout. "The outage seriously affected my business. We sometimes stayed without electricity for months. I am happy power has been restored, but we want consistency," she said.

Miss Ayo, a student at Lead City University, said the long outage affected her studies. It was hard to read at night, charge her devices and finish assignments. "It has been a frustrating period. I hope the electricity remains stable because it will make life much easier for students and everyone else," she said.

Similarly, Miss Derinsola, a resident of Elebu, welcomed the restoration after months of poor supply. Residents are now urging IBEDC to keep the power steady, saying regular electricity would help ease the burden on homes and businesses already facing high energy costs.

This restoration comes amid worries about unreliable power supply across Nigeria. Many households and small businesses are turning to expensive petrol and diesel generators to fill the gaps. In Oyo State, residents have often complained that long outages disrupt economic activities, access to clean water and education.