How Power Outages and Fuel Price Hikes Disrupt Remote Work: Six Workers Share Their Stories
On Monday, for the sixth time this year, Nigeria’s national grid collapsed, plunging a nation of nearly 200 million people into darkness. With the collapse, millions of Nigerians are forced to seek alternative sources of power to run their home appliances, from refrigerators to televisions.
Although the Transmission Company of Nigeria is yet to release an official statement on the cause of the collapse, previous grid failures have been attributed to factors such as inadequate gas supply, poor coordination of power plants and gas pipelines, and insufficient power generation.
While over 92 million Nigerians are not connected to the national grid—and those who are often experiencing erratic power supply—the collapse comes amid two major challenges: fuel scarcity and a surge in petrol prices.
We asked six Nigerians who work remotely to share their experiences of how inconsistent power supply has affected their productivity and how much they now spend on petrol, which currently sells for over N1,000 per litre at various filling stations.
Also Read: Remote Work: How to work effectively from home
Ebube, Content Writer
What alternative power sources do you rely on during power outages?
Before now, I would have said my generator is my only alternative, but that has changed since the petrol price hike.
Can you estimate how much you spend on petrol for your generator?
When petrol was around N610 per litre, I spent about N3,600 daily, which bought me six litres—enough to power my appliances for 11-12 hours. I could comfortably use less than N4,000 to complete my tasks and shut down by 6 pm.
But now, with petrol nearing N1,000 per litre, I spend almost N6,000 on days when there’s no power.
I tried co-working spaces, but they are just as expensive as running a generator. Even though I work from the office twice a week, I now head there whenever there are power issues. It’s stressful dealing with Lagos traffic, but it’s slightly cheaper.
How has the grid collapse and fuel scarcity affected your productivity?
Thinking about how to get power is mentally exhausting. As a content writer, I know I’d be more productive if I didn’t have to worry about charging my devices.
Nwafor, Graphic Designer
What alternative power sources do you rely on during power outages?
Right now, I had to rush to a friend’s place to charge my laptop and phone so I can work. But he no longer has power, and with the current fuel prices, I doubt he’ll turn on his generator before night.
I’m now overly cautious about my battery usage. Even at that, my laptop is already dead, and my phone is about to follow.
How has the grid collapse and fuel scarcity affected your productivity?
The grid collapse triggered panic mode for me. I have to rush through tasks, trying to finish my designs before my battery dies. It’s stressful and drains my creativity.
Timi, Content Editor
What alternative power sources do you rely on during power outages?
When there’s no power, I use my generator or work from a co-working space. I considered installing solar panels, but I thought it was too expensive at the time. Now I regret not doing it, as I spend so much on fuel.
Can you estimate how much you spend on petrol?
I can’t give an exact figure, but I spend a lot on fuel. Luckily, power in my area is decent, so outages don’t often last long enough for my devices to run out of battery—unless there’s a major issue like a grid collapse.
How has the grid collapse and petrol scarcity affected your productivity?
Fuel scarcity is frustrating. I’ve been lucky to stock up on fuel in advance, but I wish I didn’t have to worry about power or fuel at all.
Mercy, Intern
What alternative power sources do you rely on during power outages?
We have an inverter, but it’s currently dead. Running our generator for the entire house would cost too much.
How has the grid collapse and fuel scarcity affected your productivity?
The grid collapse has hit me hard. Even though I’m allowed to work from home, I had to go to the office today because all my devices are dead.
Sleeping in total darkness last night, with the unbearable heat, was a nightmare.
Bright, Senior PR Consultant
How has the grid collapse and petrol scarcity affected your productivity?
First of all, we’re already dealing with rising energy costs. Even when we have power, the bills under Band A tariffs are exorbitant. On top of that, there’s inflation in food prices, petrol price hikes, and fuel scarcity.
These issues affect your quality of life and work. You either spend a lot on fuel to power your home or waste time and money commuting to the office.
Instead of starting your workday as planned, you’re constantly worried about when the power will return. It eats into your time and reduces your productivity.
Honestly, with everything we face daily, it feels like our lifespan is being shortened.
Judith, Team Lead
What alternative power sources do you rely on during power outages?
I have two generators and an inverter, but the grid collapse lasted so long that my inverter ran out of power. To make things worse, my generators weren’t working properly.
Since I use a desktop, I had to drive to the office almost immediately after the power went out, as I couldn’t work from home.
