Residents and businesses in Benin City are preparing for a month of daily power outages as the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) begins scheduled maintenance at the Ihovbor Transmission Station.
The disruptions start on February 27, 2026, and are expected to continue until March 31, affecting large parts of the Edo State capital during daytime hours.
BEDC explained in a public notice on Wednesday that the outages are not caused by faults in local lines but are due to “critical construction works” carried out by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
The work focuses on the 330kV Benin/Ajaokuta Line 2 (Cct. 2BEN-AJK2), a hub for regional power distribution. The maintenance aims to increase the grid’s capacity and reduce possible disruptions later on.
9-Hour Daily Disruptions
According to BEDC’s schedule, power will be off from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm daily. While electricity will be restored each evening, the timing coincides with peak commercial hours, leading to challenges for businesses and households.
The areas expected to be hardest hit include:
- University of Benin (Uniben) and the busy Ugbowo axis
- Oluku, Egba, and Ihovbor communities
- The high-density Upper Sakponba neighbourhoodand its surroundings.
Many residents in these zones will have to rely on petrol or diesel generators for daily electricity needs.
Cost Implications for Small Businesses
The outages are likely to have immediate financial implications for Benin City’s SME sector. Operating generators for nine hours daily is expensive, especially with early-2026 fuel prices.
Student-focused businesses, printing shops, and cold-room operators in areas like Ugbowo and Oluku may face higher costs of operations, potentially leading to price increases.
Planned outages, while essential for long-term infrastructure improvements, can temporarily reduce productivity, hence, small-scale manufacturers in the Ihovbor industrial cluster may experience delays if production cycles are interrupted.
TCN’s Grid Upgrade
The maintenance by TCN aims to stabilise Nigeria’s national grid, which has experienced multiple high-demand stresses this year. Upgrading the 330kV line will enable TCN to minimise bottlenecks that cause sudden power drops.
BEDC noted that this is a planned outage, not a service failure, and urged stakeholders to view it as a short-term sacrifice for long-term electricity reliability.
“We regret any inconvenience this planned outage may cause and assure stakeholders that the works are essential to boost transmission capacity, increase grid energy, and enhance overall service reliability,” the company stated.
Tips for Residents
With the month-long schedule underway, residents are advised to:
- Unplug high-voltage appliances, including air conditioners and refrigerators, before restoration to prevent damage from potential surges.
- Plan work and daily activities around the 8:00 am to 5:00 pm outage window.
BEDC has promised that by March 31, the Ihovbor area should benefit from better and stable electricity supply, reducing the likelihood of similar disruptions in the future.
