The Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy & Development (FENRAD), a foremost environmental rights organisation and public accountability watchdog, has expressed deep concern over the continued electricity outages in many communities across Aba, despite repeated public declarations that the city now enjoys uninterrupted 24-hour power supply.
While acknowledging noticeable improvements in electricity generation through the Geometric Power Plant and other embedded generation facilities, FENRAD cautioned that improvement should not be mistaken for permanence. The organisation stressed that optimism must not replace verifiable, city-wide and equitable service delivery.
“Aba has not achieved 24/7 electricity in any practical or equitable sense,” FENRAD stated. “What exists is partial progress, uneven distribution, and a dangerous narrative that exaggerates reality while many households remain in darkness.”
Festive Darkness Amid Celebratory Headlines
FENRAD noted that during the 2025 festive season, several residential communities in Aba experienced prolonged power outages, a situation that severely undermined public confidence in claims of uninterrupted electricity. These outages occurred at a time when families, artisans, and small business owners reasonably expected stable supply, based on repeated official assurances.
According to the organisation, electricity consumers planned their budgets, daily activities, and business operations around the promise of reliable power. The sudden return of widespread outages—without timely explanation or accountability—amounts not only to a technical setback, but also a serious failure of transparency and public trust.
Unequal Supply, Unequal Truth
FENRAD further observed that electricity supply in Aba remains uneven and selective, with some industrial and commercial clusters enjoying longer hours of supply, while many residential neighbourhoods continue to suffer frequent blackouts.
The group stressed that no city can credibly claim 24/7 electricity when access depends on location, economic status, or proximity to industrial corridors. Electricity, it noted, is a public service and not a media slogan—it must be consistently available to all, or it cannot be said to exist at all.
Gas Constraints, Governance Gaps, and Regulatory Silence
While acknowledging explanations such as gas shortages, pipeline vandalism, and broader grid challenges, FENRAD pointed out that these issues are not new and were well known long before “24/7 power” became a public headline.
The organisation therefore raised several critical questions: Why was uninterrupted power announced without first securing reliable gas supply and redundancy? Where are the enforceable service-level agreements tied to electricity tariffs? Why are consumers paying premium rates without enjoying premium reliability? And where is the regulator when marketing narratives overtake measurable performance?
FENRAD emphasized that in a functional electricity market, tariffs rise with proven reliability—not with promises.
Government Responsibility Beyond Optics
FENRAD called on the Abia State Government and the newly established Abia State Electricity Regulatory Agency to move beyond celebratory messaging and recommit to strict oversight and accountability. According to the group, promoting Aba as an investment destination must not come at the cost of truth or the welfare of citizens.
The organisation warned that governance requires verification, not amplification, noting that when citizens are told darkness is over only to experience it again, public confidence erodes—not just in the power sector, but in government as a whole.
Progress Must Withstand Scrutiny
FENRAD stressed that constructive criticism should not be mistaken for opposition to development, but rather seen as a necessary safeguard for sustainable reform. True progress, it noted, welcomes scrutiny, while false progress depends on silence.
The group insisted that Aba does not need exaggerated success stories, but honest and continuous public communication, realistic and phased timelines, secured and diversified gas supply, infrastructure redundancy, transparent regulation, and enforceable accountability.
Conclusion: Light the City, Not the Headlines
FENRAD concluded that Aba stands at a defining crossroads: it can either emerge as a genuine model for Nigeria’s power sector reform or become a cautionary tale of how propaganda undermines real progress.
“The solution is clear, though uncomfortable,” the organisation stated. “Stop selling aspiration as achievement. Because electricity—like truth—must be continuous to be credible.” It added that for many Aba communities during the festive season, both electricity and truth were in short supply.
About FENRAD
The Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy & Development (FENRAD) is a Nigerian non-governmental organisation dedicated to environmental justice, public accountability, human rights advocacy, and sustainable development. FENRAD promotes transparency, citizen participation, and rights-based governance across sectors, including energy and infrastructure.
Media Contact:
Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor
Executive Director
Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy & Development (FENRAD)
📞 Tel: 0803 338 3708 | 0706 294 9232
📧 Email: info@fenrad.org.ng
🌐 Website: www.fenrad.org.ng
