Ambassador Abdullahi Bakoji Adamu, Country Director of the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC-RFT), Nigeria Chapter, reported that Northern Nigeria has suffered an estimated ₦1.5 trillion in economic losses due to widespread blackouts in the past week.
In a statement from Kano, Adamu highlighted that the prolonged power outages are compounding the region’s economic and security issues, disrupting essential services, livelihoods, and daily life across the region’s 100 million population. He expressed concerns about the government’s lack of response, emphasizing the severe human rights implications of the ongoing power crisis.
“Reliable electricity is a basic right, crucial for security, health, education, and economic stability,” Adamu stated, urging the government to take swift action as continued blackouts deepen social vulnerabilities, disrupt local economies, and elevate security risks.
On security implications, Adamu noted that inadequate lighting and disrupted communications leave communities increasingly vulnerable to crime, with power instability creating favorable conditions for conflicts and insecurity.
Addressing human rights concerns, he emphasized that access to electricity is integral to sustaining human dignity and socio-economic rights, with the UN recognizing energy access as fundamental to modern human rights. The outages, he said, are affecting basic needs such as safe water, refrigeration, and sanitation, impacting families, students, and businesses.
Ambassador Adamu called for sustainable solutions, recommending investment in decentralized and renewable energy sources, and the development of regional power infrastructure under the Nigeria Electricity Act to reduce dependency on the national grid.
“These blackouts underscore the urgent need for energy reforms in Northern Nigeria,” he concluded, stressing the importance of immediate action to stabilize the region.
Vanguard
