The Northern Senators Forum has sounded the alarm over a deepening power crisis affecting the Northern region, especially Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa states.
The lawmakers urged the federal government to intervene immediately.
The senator representing Katsina Central, Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua, on behalf of the Forum, warned that the prolonged outages are wreaking havoc on daily life, pushing small businesses to the brink of closure, straining hospitals, and imposing unbearable fuel costs on residents.
“These outages are not just inconveniences they are causing a severe crisis,” said Senator Yar’adua. “Families are suffering, businesses are closing, and healthcare facilities are buckling under the strain. The federal government must act swiftly.”
The outages, reportedly caused by vandalism and issues with the national grid, have left northern communities in a precarious situation.
Many small businesses across these states are struggling to afford fuel to keep their operations going, while hospitals and clinics that rely on generators face rising operational costs that threaten essential healthcare services.
In response, the forum outlined three urgent steps it is calling on the federal government to take: fast-track repairs on the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission lines, secure the region’s power infrastructure to prevent future vandalism, and increase support for renewable energy initiatives by the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO).
By addressing these issues, the senators argue, the government can stabilize the power supply in northern Nigeria, helping to ensure that communities are less vulnerable to future disruptions.
The Northern Senators Forum’s appeal brings to light the human cost of the outages. For many residents, the costs associated with alternative power sources are unsustainable.
Meanwhile, the region’s small businesses which serve as the backbone of the local economy are forced to make difficult choices about their future if conditions do not improve.
“Power is more than a convenience; it’s the foundation of our economy and public welfare. We are asking for swift, decisive action from the federal government to restore power, protect critical infrastructure, and future-proof our energy systems,” he said.
