Effects of Erratic Electricity Supply on Socio-Economic Activities of Nigeria: A Study of Kaduna South, Kaduna State, Nigeria (2015-2019)

Abstract

The relatively regular electricity supply that sustains the manufacturing sector, small and medium scale businesses, individuals and the society in the 70s and 80s is now in a state of comatose despite the privatisation, weak electricity infrastructure, lack of maintenance culture, corruption, lack of capacity to distribute the megawatts generated, lack of innovations and total dependence on foreign electricity equipment, inadequate qualified personnel, poor implementation of power sector reform and customer classifications are the causes of the erratic power supply in Nigeria. These problems pose serious threat to the growth and stability of Nigerian power sector. This study investigates the effects of erratic electricity supply on socio-economic activities in Kaduna South Local Government Area of Kaduna State between 2015 and 2019. The study was anchored on Structural Functional Theory. The study relied heavily on primary type of data and also utilised data collected from secondary sources on electricity supply. Frequency table and percentages were adopted for analysis of questionnaire for easy understanding. The study found that erratic power supply has affected socio-economic activities in Kaduna South LGA because small, medium and larger industries in it cannot sustain alternative power using generator due to high cost of fuel hence leaving business and the collapsed textiles industry in the study area culminating in increasing unemployment, poverty, security challenges such as armed robbery, frustration, political thuggery, which have negative effects on individuals, families and the society at large. Hence, the study recommends that government should license more electricity distributors in order to encourage competition for effective service delivery, metre all customers, use technology to detect interconnections and prevent vandalism among others which will go a long way in restoring the lost glory of power supply in Kaduna South Local Government Area in particular, Kaduna State and Nigeria in general.

Keywords: Socio-economic Activities, Electricity Supply, Unemployment, Insecurity, Poverty, Economic Growth