Residents from three communities in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State took to the streets on Friday to protest an eight-month-long power outage that has crippled their daily lives and businesses.
The demonstration, staged by residents of Waterfront Estate, Sekumade Estate, and the NBC Community, saw the entrance to the Ikorodu Business District office of Ikeja Electric (IE) blockaded for several hours. Protesters prevented staff and vehicles from entering or leaving the premises, demanding an end to the prolonged blackout.
🚀 Don't Miss Out!
Latest jobs • Scholarships • Grants • Internships • Career tips
(Naija + worldwide) — delivered daily on our WhatsApp Channel.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow The Lagos Voice on WhatsApp channel for latest updates
Carrying placards with messages such as, “IKEDC! You are supposed to be an agent of light, not an agent of darkness,” and “Eight months in darkness. Enough is enough,” the demonstrators voiced their frustration over the situation, which they say began in August 2025 when their shared transformer failed.
The residents claim that despite numerous meetings with officials from the power distribution company, no concrete action has been taken to repair or replace the faulty equipment.
🔔 Don’t Miss the Latest!
News • Politics • Entertainment • Sports
Stay updated daily on our WhatsApp Channel.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow The Lagos Voice on WhatsApp channel for latest updates
One of the protesters, Moshood Aderibigbe, accused Ikeja Electric of insincerity, stating that the protest was a last resort after months of broken promises.
“Before we came out to protest, we had two interfaces with officials of Ikeja Electric so that we could have our transformer fixed or replaced, but nothing was done,” he said. “They have only paid lip service to our plight. Our women, alongside our councillor, were even at their Alausa head office in January. They promised to get back to us in three weeks. As I speak to you, they have not.”
Aderibigbe highlighted the severe economic impact of the outage, noting that local businesses have collapsed and households are burdened by the high cost of fuel for generators.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow The Lagos Voice on WhatsApp channel for latest updates
“At this point, we told ourselves that enough is enough. Our businesses and means of livelihood have collapsed because of the situation,” he added. “The few privileged ones among us who can afford fuel for their generators are doing so at a huge cost.”
Tensions rose during the protest when an official’s attempt to address the crowd was rejected, with residents demanding to speak directly with the Ikorodu district’s Business Manager. The manager reportedly arrived but left without engaging the protesters.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow The Lagos Voice on WhatsApp channel for latest updates
Later, a senior company official, who requested anonymity as he was not authorized to speak publicly, addressed the crowd. He expressed sympathy for their situation and acknowledged that previous discussions had failed to yield results.
The official explained that replacing a transformer involves a time-consuming procedural process. “We are putting in the effort to ensure that power is restored to your estates as soon as possible,” he stated. “The truth is, there are about 300 faulty transformers across Ikorodu currently in our workshop, and we can only fix or replace them one at a time.”
PAY ATTENTION: Follow The Lagos Voice on WhatsApp channel for latest updates
He assured the residents that their case would be expedited and promised to provide a clear timeline for the restoration of power after consulting with the head office. A follow-up meeting with community representatives has been scheduled for Thursday, March 5, to provide an update on the resolution efforts.
