The Federal Government has cut electricity supply to the Junta-led Niger Republic by 42%, reducing it from 80MW to 46MW.
This reduction has led to a 30 to 50% drop in the country’s power production, prompting Nigelec, the state-owned electricity company, to implement planned power outages, which could last for several days, particularly in Niamey.
Niger’s Energy Minister, Haoua Amadou, revealed the electricity supply cut in an interview with AFP, following complaints from citizens and a growing shift towards solar energy.
This move comes after Nigeria suspended most of its electricity exports to Niger as part of regional sanctions against the junta that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum in July 2023.
Last year, members of the Presidential Guard arrested President Bazoum and declared him deposed, prompting the Economic Community of West African States to impose sanctions on the military regime.
ECOWAS not only set a one-week ultimatum for the restoration of constitutional order and suspended financial transactions with Niger but also froze all service transactions, including those related to energy.
Although the suspension has been lifted, the power supply remains restricted. The minister noted that the neighboring country, which once provided 80MW before the sanctions, has now reduced its supply to only 46MW—well below the local demand.
“Nigeria has since resumed delivering electricity, but only providing 46 megawatts instead of the usual 80 megawatts,” Amadou said.
He also mentioned that despite efforts to enhance local production capacity, Niamey continues to experience planned power outages. Consequently, more people and businesses are turning to solar energy to meet their needs.
Elhadj Abdou, a resident of Niamey’s Lazaret neighborhood, noted that rooftop solar panels are becoming a common sight in the capital.
“There are no more power cuts here, and there are no bills to pay; everything works on solar energy,” he said.
The panels, priced at 50,000 CFA francs (approximately 75 euros), are mostly imported from China and are frequently sold directly on the streets.
