Planned Power Outage Sparks Concern Among Jalingo Residents

Residents of Jalingo, the capital city of Taraba State, are expressing heightened concern and anxiety following the recent announcement of a planned power outage by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). The scheduled interruption, set to begin on Friday, January 9, 2026, has particularly alarmed small-scale business owners who rely heavily on a stable electricity supply to maintain daily operations.

This development comes barely a month after Jalingo and parts of the neighbouring Adamawa State experienced prolonged blackouts ahead of the yuletide season, causing significant disruptions to both economic and social activities across the region. Many local businesses, households, and institutions are still recovering from the previous power outages, making the timing of this new schedule a major source of stress for residents.

According to an official statement from TCN management, the power shutdown is planned to last until Wednesday, January 13, 2026. The exercise aims to facilitate critical infrastructure upgrades, including line stringing works and the energisation of a new 150MVA power transformer at the Jalingo Transmission Substation. The outage is scheduled to commence at 09:00 hours on Friday and conclude at 17:00 hours on Wednesday, during which the Jalingo 330kV Transmission Station will be deactivated, leading to power supply interruptions across multiple areas in the state capital.

The announcement has triggered widespread dissatisfaction among residents, many of whom are fearful of repeating the economic hardships caused by previous outages. Small business operators, in particular, have expressed concerns that the planned shutdown could disrupt trade and income generation, further straining households and local commerce.

One local business owner, Bala Ande, recounted the difficulties faced during the last power interruption. He noted that many businesses were forced to close due to the prohibitive cost of alternative power sources such as petrol generators. “We all remember the hardships during the previous outage. Many businesses had to shut down because we couldn’t afford fuel for generators, and some don’t even have backup power,” Ande said.

Similarly, Madam Esther, a hairdresser based in Jalingo, shared her concerns over the impact on her family’s finances. She lamented that the outage threatens her plans to raise her children’s school fees within the coming week. “I was hoping to meet my children’s school fees obligations soon, but this outage has disrupted those plans,” she explained.

Residents are urging relevant authorities, particularly the government, to work more effectively with TCN and the Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) to address the frequent power interruptions caused by maintenance activities. “It’s about time the government collaborated closely with TCN and YEDC to find a lasting solution to these recurrent outages,” Esther added.

The Jalingo power outage highlights the ongoing challenges in electricity distribution in Nigeria, particularly in states where commercial activities depend on consistent electricity supply. For businesses and households, planning ahead, investing in backup power solutions, and staying informed about scheduled maintenance are now essential strategies for mitigating economic and social disruption.