By George Omagbemi Sylvester
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State dramatically joined residents in the streets of Benin City on 2 March 2026 to protest widespread and persistent power outages blamed on the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), stirring public frustration over the frequent blackouts crippling daily life and commerce. The governor’s presence at the demonstration (unusual for a sitting executive) underscored the severity of the electricity crisis as youths and community leaders chanted and carried placards demanding immediate restoration of stable power.
The protest, triggered by weeks of prolonged blackouts and alleged neglect by BEDC, forced commuters to halt traffic and brought business activity to a halt, as residents demanded accountability and solutions to the chronic power supply failures that have frustrated households and enterprises alike.
Governor Okpebholo reportedly mingled with protesters and assured them of urgent steps to engage the electricity company and other relevant authorities to address the outage issues. His action reflects growing political pressure on utility operators and government to deliver reliable electricity, a long‑standing challenge in Nigeria’s energy sector that has hampered productivity and deepened public discontent.
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