IBEDC Restores Electricity to Oyo Communities After Weeks of Blackout
Residents of Soka, Elebu and neighbouring communities in Ibadan, Oyo State, have expressed relief following the restoration of electricity after weeks of prolonged outage that disrupted businesses, academic activities and access to essential services.
The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) confirmed that power supply was restored after its technical team replaced a faulty 15MVA transformer serving the Soka axis. The company explained that the outage was caused by a fault on the transformer, which was further aggravated by increased electricity demand resulting from the ongoing upgrade of the Ire-Akara and Aweni Estates on the Band A feeder.
According to IBEDC, the replacement of the transformer has restored electricity to customers in the Soka area, including those on the Band E feeder. The company appreciated residents and community leaders for their patience during the outage and urged customers to pay their electricity bills promptly while reporting faults and cases of energy theft to support improved service delivery.
The restoration has been welcomed by residents and business owners who described the blackout as one of the most difficult they had experienced. A resident, Mr. Seyi, said the prolonged outage left many households without water as electric pumps could not function, while the intense heat made living conditions unbearable. He expressed hope that the restored supply would be sustained.
Business owners also recounted the financial burden caused by the blackout. The proprietor of Brain Hub Tech said he had relied heavily on a generator, spending hundreds of thousands of naira monthly on fuel to keep his business running. Similarly, fashion entrepreneur Mrs. Rosabel said the outage forced her to spend more on fuel and use a gas iron to meet customers’ demands, urging the distribution company to ensure a consistent power supply.
Students were not spared the impact of the outage. A Lead City University student, Miss Ayo, said the irregular electricity supply affected her ability to study at night, charge electronic devices and complete academic assignments. Another resident of Elebu, Miss Derinsola, described the restoration as a welcome development after months of erratic power supply.
While expressing appreciation for the restoration, residents called on IBEDC to maintain a stable electricity supply, noting that reliable power would ease the burden on households and businesses already struggling with rising energy costs and dependence on petrol and diesel generators.