Up Nepa

A Nigerian Reality

I work remotely and I’m a content creator. My apartment is set up in a way that if there’s no electricity, I can turn on a generator or go stay with a friend.

It wasn’t until I left Lagos for personal reasons that I realized something, Lagos is not Nigeria.

In this new location, there was no electricity for more than 18 hours. No light. No internet. No WiFi. People owned two power banks each, just in case.

That’s when it hit me, what does productivity even look like in a place like this?

We truly underestimate the role constant electricity plays in our lives. Stable electricity is not a luxury, it is the backbone of a society. As Elon Musk once said, “Electricity is a proxy for industrial might. It is the foundation of the economy.”

I remember months ago when people on Twitter were clamoring for stable electricity and someone asked, “Apart from using 24/7 to produce more ice block, what are you going to do with it?”

You see, I don’t blame him. If you’ve never experienced certain possibilities, your mind cannot fathom them.

Schools need electricity. I attended a federal university, and we would gather at someone’s house who could afford to run a generator just to study. Other nights, we used lamps because there was no light around the school area. Online learning? Disrupted.

Hospitals need electricity. I’ve seen photos of surgeries done with flashlights. Think about vaccines that cannot be properly stored. Think about doctors, nurses, and patients working and living under those conditions.

Poor internet is tied to poor power supply. Security is threatened when streets are completely dark. Airports need electricity. Businesses need electricity. Farms need electricity. Homes need electricity.

Almost every working aspect of a country depends on stable power.

Food prices are rising partly because vendors spend money on fuel to keep produce and frozen goods refrigerated. If there was constant electricity, so many costs would drop.

Have you ever worked remotely and had to explain to your overseas employer that you couldn’t deliver because there was no power?

Moving from one workspace to another just to charge your devices.

Imagine sleeping without the constant roar of generators. If nothing else, think about that. Sometimes the bad dreams you’re having are not from evil spirits chasing you. It’s because you’re sleeping in heat. No light. No fan. No AC. Just sleep paralysis demon and vibes.

Even your living conditions would improve if you consistently came home to electricity. You would begin to invest in appliances that actually ease your life instead of managing survival every day.

Is this really the life we are supposed to accept?

People in other parts of Nigeria cannot even consider certain jobs because there is no power.

How do you become a remote worker with no light?

How do you find the job without internet?

How do you attend interviews when your devices are constantly dead?

We talk about the digital economy, but electricity is the foundation of that economy. Without it, you’re locked out before you even begin.

Can you imagine the possibilities we would unlock with constant electricity? I honestly cannot, because I’ve never experienced it. I am not part of the 1% that enjoys 24/7 power supply.

Do people in other countries pray, “Oh God, let there be light when I get home”?

My parents complained about electricity. Their parents did too. And somehow, it has gotten worse.

Truthfully, I am tired. My twenties are not supposed to feel like this. Even if I don’t have all the money in the world, shouldn’t I at least have a decent life?

And yes, I know the advice, “Get solar.” “Find alternative energy.” But for how long do we keep offering temporary solutions to systemic problems?

If I can afford it, what about the 99% who cannot?

Basic electricity should not feel like a privilege in a country this rich.

As I write this, there is no light.

And my phone is on 14%.