Psychosocial Impact of Irregular Electricity Power Supply: A Case Study of Nigeria

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the psychosocial, economic, and health impacts of prolonged power outages in Nigeria. Study Design: A convenience sample was used for the study. Materials and Methods: A semi-structured questionnaire was used to explore the psychosocial effects of electricity power outages in Nigeria. The questionnaire was exported to Google Forms for responses from Nigerians living within the country. NCSS 2020 statistical software was used for the analysis. Results: The mean (±SD) age of respondents was 26.0 (12.3) years. Most respondents were in the 20-29-year age group (94, 51.1%), were female (117, 63.6%), were students (103, 56.0%), were mainly from the Southwest zone (162, 88.4%), lived in urban residences (112, 60.9%), and had residences with electricity supply (169, 91.8%). The mean duration of sleep (hours) without electricity supply (4.77±1.83) was significantly shorter (t-test=12.41, P-value<0.00001) than when electricity was supplied (6.48±1.53). Overall, 67.9% of respondents incurred various losses as a consequence of electricity power outages. Approximately 31% of respondents reported a continuous power-outage duration of 72-96 hours, most frequently among urban residents (35.1%). Heat was the major factor (85.3%) affecting respondents during power outages, while 70.7% of respondents felt frustrated by the power outages and 62.0% strongly agreed that their productivity at work was reduced during power outages. Conclusion: Irregular and erratic power outages (PO), which may last up to 96 hours or more, severely impact people's livelihoods. Sleep duration is reduced, and productivity at work or school is severely affected. Heat was the factor that made respondents most uncomfortable during power outages in Nigeria's hot environment, and air pollution from generator fumes compounds the problem.