In the aftermath of a military coup that ousted Niger’s elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, the Nigerian government has taken the decision to cut off power supplies to the neighboring country.
According to reports, the move came shortly after an emergency meeting by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), during which sanctions were imposed on Niger Republic, including freezing utility services, in response to the coup.
Nigelec, Niger’s electricity company, confirmed the power cutoff on Wednesday. The affected cities of Maradi, Zinder, and Niamey experienced a one-hour power supply before it was subsequently switched off for up to five hours. This situation is uncommon in Niger, which typically enjoys regular and reliable power supplies.
Niger Republic relies on Nigeria for 70 percent of its electricity supply, generated primarily from the Kainji Dam. The cutoff of power supplies from Nigeria has undoubtedly added to the challenges faced by the country following the recent political upheaval.