Communities in Etche Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State are now experiencing reliable electricity for the first time in over ten years, following an arrangement with Aba Power, Nigeria’s newest electricity distribution company headquartered in Aba, Abia State.
Residents expressed overwhelming joy at the development, which has brought an end to prolonged darkness that severely impacted daily life and economic activities.
Mrs. Bernadette Obi, a prominent fish trader in Umuola community, described the restoration as transformative for her business and the wider area, noting that power had been absent for more than a decade.
Previously covered under the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC), the communities had suffered persistent outages. The breakthrough came through persistent efforts by the Etche LGA Chairman, Hon. Chima Njoku, who initiated discussions with Aba Power to extend its services beyond its traditional coverage.
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Edise Ekong, Senior Brand and Communication Manager at Aba Power, confirmed that the chairman’s repeated requests prompted coordination with PHEDC and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
Following approvals, an agreement was reached allowing Aba Power to supply the affected areas.
Ekong highlighted customer satisfaction with the consistent supply, power quality, and reasonable tariffs. He noted that, for the past week, electricity in these communities has remained uninterrupted, barring any external disruptions such as vehicle accidents damaging infrastructure or acts of vandalism.
Aba Power, Nigeria’s 12th licensed DisCo, currently serves the Aba ring-fenced zone comprising nine of Abia State’s 17 LGAs. Ekong revealed that several unnamed state governments, communities, and major industrial users outside this zone are in talks to receive power from the company, with details to be announced in due course.
The extension to Etche marks a significant step in addressing Nigeria’s electricity access challenges through innovative inter-utility arrangements.
