Major cities in the Niger Republic are experiencing prolonged blackouts after Nigeria cut its power supply to the neighboring West African country, according to Nigelec, an electricity company in Niger.
The development followed an emergency meeting by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), where sanctions, including freezing utility services, were imposed on the Niger Republic over its coup.
The cities of Niamey, Maradi, and Zinder each witnessed about an hour of electricity at a time before it went off for about five hours. This is quite unusual in the Niger Republic, which usually enjoys a more reliable electricity supply.
Niger Republic is heavily dependent on Nigeria for most of its electricity supplies.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria, when quizzed by the press on the Niger power cuts, declined to comment on the issue.
But an anonymous source disclosed that the electricity supply to Niger was cut on Tuesday following a presidential directive.
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then