Benin region to face one month of 10-hour daily power outages
Just as we were hoping for more “ginger” in our power supply this year, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has come out with a piece of news that is truly a “bitter pill” for residents in the Benin region. Starting Friday, February 27, 2026, several major areas in and around Benin City will be plunged into a scheduled 10-hour daily blackout that will last until March 31. For a full month, from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, the “light” will be taken away to allow for critical work on the national grid.
As a professional editor who understands the daily “hustle” of Nigerians, I can tell you that this is “no be small thing” for a city that relies heavily on daytime productivity. We are looking at a month of high generator noise and a serious drain on the pockets of small business owners.
The technical “koko” behind the Ihovbor substation restringing
You might be wondering why TCN has decided to “show us shege” at this particular time. According to a statement signed by the General Manager of Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, the outage is essential for a major restringing project on the 330kV Benin–Ajaokuta Transmission Line.
Specifically, they are working at the Ihovbor Power Plant Turn-In/Turn-Out Transmission Substation. The TCN explained that this “long thing” is necessary because the transmission lines cross major highways, and for the safety of the public and the contractors, the power must be shut down during work hours.
While it sounds like a technical headache, the engineers are basically trying to “service the engine” of our power infrastructure to prevent a total “kpeme” of the grid in the future.
Affected areas and the “sapa” of fueling generators for 10 hours
The areas that will feel the heat the most include the University of Benin (UNIBEN) axis, Ugbowo, Oluku, Egba, and the Ihovbor corridors. For the students at UNIBEN and the artisans in these adjoining communities, this news is enough to make anyone “vex.”
Imagine trying to run a cold room, a barbershop, or even a research lab when the light is gone from morning until evening. With the current price of fuel in Nigeria, running a generator for 10 hours daily is a one-way ticket to “sapa.”
The Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) has also confirmed that they won’t be able to “off-take” power for these specific feeders during the work window, meaning those living in these areas will have to rely on their “I-pass-my-neighbor” or bigger diesel plants to keep their lives on track.
A short-term sacrifice for a more stable electricity future
Despite the “wahala” this will cause, TCN has promised that once the clock hits 6:00 pm every evening, the lines will be restored so people can at least sleep with a fan or “charge their phone.” They have also assured the public that they are working as fast as possible to meet the March 31 deadline.
As an editor, my take is that while this month will be incredibly tough, we have to hope that this “maintenance” actually leads to a more reliable supply down the line.
We have heard many “stories that touch” in the past about grid upgrades that didn’t change much, but if this Ihovbor project truly boosts the transmission capacity as promised, it might just be a sacrifice worth making. For now, the best advice is to “shine your eye” and plan your daytime activities around this new reality.
