How heatwave, epileptic power supply worsen hardship in Lagos

By Fabian Ekeruche

Residents across several communities in Lagos have decried the intense heatwave, erratic electricity supply and fuel price increase describing the situation as unbearable and harmful to their health and daily living.

Many residents who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews in Lagos said the rising temperatures had made daily activities more difficult, especially with limited access to electricity needed to power cooling devices.

They lamented that they were spending a lot on fuel to power their generators.

Miss Tomiwa Ajayi, a resident of Ijaye, Agege, said coping with the heat had become extremely difficult due to irregular electricity supply in her area.

“The heatwave has been very difficult to cope with in my area because the temperature is extremely high during the day.

“Unfortunately, electricity is not stable here. We usually have power for only about eight hours a day, and most of the time it goes off during the daytime when the heat is at its peak.

“Sometimes the electricity only comes back late at night or around midnight,” she said.

Ajayi added that residents were forced to rely on simple measures such as opening windows and drinking water to manage the heat.

“Because of this, it is hard to use fans or other cooling devices during the hottest periods, so many people rely on opening windows, staying in shaded areas and drinking plenty of water to manage the heat,” she said.

Similarly, Idara Obong, a resident of Ogba, said the heat had become overwhelming and electricity supply remained unstable.

“The heat waves are very high. I cope by lying on bare tiles when sleeping, especially in the afternoon.

“I open the windows for fresh air and take enough water to avoid dehydration.

“Light is not really stable, sometimes it goes off for about one to two hours at intervals,” Obong said.

Miss Bisola Adeyemo, a content creator living in Oke-Ira, Ogba, said the heat was also affecting her skin and daily comfort.

“The heat in my area is what I can’t even describe. It has negative effects on my skin, and I noticed my skin gets darker.

“But I make sure I use sunshade glasses before going out and apply sunburn cream on my face to reduce the effects of the hot sun,” she said.

Adeyemo said she relied heavily on hydration to stay healthy during the hot weather.

“I drink enough water daily, at least eight sachets of water every day and shower regularly to manage the heat,” she said.

Miss Joel Ogwu, a trader and resident of Bucknor, described the heat as extremely harsh and uncomfortable.

“Recently, it has been really, really hot. When I say really hot, it is biting the skin. One cannot stay outside because it is really unbearable.

“But in my area, there is light sometimes, and that helps to make the heat less troublesome for us,” she said.

Mrs Ese Brume, a civil servant living in Lekki, also lamented the situation, noting that lack of stable electricity worsened the experience.

“It has been very hot, no doubt. We are all feeling the heat and there is no constant electricity supply as well.

“For the heat, most of us know we need to hydrate. I take lots of water and we also use rechargeable fans to cool ourselves down,” she said.

Brume urged the government to address the persistent power challenges affecting citizens.

“Electricity supply has always been the challenge in this nation. Government should give us constant supply. They know what to do but are not doing it,” she said.

Mr Samuel Igbokwe, a businessman and resident of Okota, said many communities had experienced severe electricity shortages in recent days.

“Within the last five days, it has been extremely terrible. There has been very deficient power and some areas have not had power at all, not even a blink, within five days,” he said.

He said that residents had previously protested the situation.

“Some weeks ago, the Community Development Association went to NEPA office carrying placards to complain. It has been terrible.

“Some areas are supposed to be on Band A but they do not get the benefits of it. Even when there is no light, there are hardly explanations,” he said.

Igbokwe noted that the lack of electricity made the heat more unbearable, especially at night.

“At night it becomes worse because you are in one place and many people cannot run generators all night. Only those who have solar systems with enough capacity may get some relief. For most people, it is a terrible situation,” he said.

Also, Mrs Gladys Okpara, a civil servant living in FESTAC, said the poor public power supply had worsened the situation.

“It is out of hand. Poor public power supply is worsening the situation as many can’t use fan and air-conditioner to cool their houses.

“Increase in pump price of petrol added salt to injury as some owners of generators can’t afford petrol to run them to enjoy fans and air-conditioners.

“Some citizens are being frustrated by the whole situation and are taking loans to install panels for solar energy. It costs up to N1.7 million to get the one which can power a two-bedroom flat in Lagos State.

“Heat rashes are appearing on the bodies of both adults and children,” she said.

Mrs Yemisi Dada, an On-Air Personality and resident of Ikorodu, said the extreme heat had caused skin rashes in her household.

“The heat is something else. We cannot really explain it. If you see my body now, there are rashes everywhere because of the heat,” she said.

Dada said she and her children had to bathe several times daily to cope.

“Most nights I bathe more than three times before going to bed because of the itching. Sometimes we even sleep on tiles because of the heat,” she said.

According to her, electricity supply is inconsistent and often unavailable when residents need it most.

“We have about 10 to 12 hours of light sometimes, but it usually comes when you are not at home.

“When you return at night, it may come for just three hours and go off again,” she said.

She added that security concerns prevented residents from opening their windows at night.

“Because of security issues, we cannot open the windows at night. So, when there is no light, most times we cannot sleep because of the heat,” she said.

Meanwhile, environmental experts say the heatwave being experienced across Nigeria is linked to climate change, urbanisation and environmental degradation.

The Executive Director of Renevlyn Development Initiative, Mr Philip Jakpor, said the situation was the result of years of neglect of environmental advice.

“The current heat wave in Nigeria is not a mystery. It is simply the culmination of years of neglect of the advice of environmentalists that government should address factors that exacerbate the climate crisis,” he said.

Jakpor noted that Nigeria’s heavy dependence on fossil fuels was contributing to rising global temperatures.

“Our nation is largely reliant on fossil fuels — oil extraction and gas flaring — and both contribute to global warming,” he said.

He also blamed the reduction of green spaces in urban areas.

“What we see today are government-sanctioned constructions that have turned our cities into concrete jungles. Trees are removed faster than they are replaced, and in many cases, they are not replaced at all,” he said.

Jakpor warned that the rising heat could trigger serious health problems.

“The heat has grave implications because we may start hearing of cases of heat stroke, dehydration and even meningitis among young children,” he said.

He advised residents to take precautionary measures during the extreme weather.

“People must drink more water and stay hydrated. If you have no business outside in the scorching sun, remain indoors until the season passes,” he advised.

Also speaking, the Executive Director of HEDA Resource Centre, Mr Suleiman Arigbabu, said the perceived intensity of the heat in Lagos was largely due to high humidity levels.

“The average temperature in Lagos ranges between 27°C and 30°C. Technically this is not unusual for Lagos.

“However, the reason people feel the heat more intensely is because of the high humidity, which ranges between 70 and 80 per cent,” he said.

Arigbabu also highlighted the role of urban development in worsening heat conditions.

“Lagos has built almost every available space. Trees have been cut down and replaced with asphalt and concrete surfaces that radiate heat,” he said.

Arigbabu advised communities and governments to adopt long-term solutions to mitigate the impact.

“We must plant more trees, design buildings that allow proper aeration and use materials that deflect heat.

“Government must also promote renewable energy, better public transportation and policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.

A general physician, Dr Jonathan Esegine, said preventing dehydration was essential during heatwaves.

Esegine advised people to drink water regularly, even before feeling thirsty.

He recommended a daily water intake of two to three litres and urged residents to avoid alcohol and caffeine during extreme heat.

According to him, these substances reduce the body’s ability to regulate temperature.

He advised residents to stay in ventilated areas and take cool showers.

Esegine also recommended wearing of lightweight, loose-fitting and light-coloured clothing.

He advised people to remain indoors between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

According to him, temperatures and ultraviolet radiation are highest during those hours.

NAN