RECENTLY, I found myself inside a multi-storied shopping complex buzzing with activity. The building was home to laptop shops, phone sales and repair centres, and accessories vendors, an ecosystem of Nigeria’s thriving tech economy. Yet, beneath the hum of commerce was another, more unsettling sound: the deafening roar of generators.
The noise was overwhelming, like a thousand engines competing for dominance. One out of every five shops had turned to gas-powered generators, while the rest clung to the more familiar diesel units. In that moment, it struck me: Nigeria’s quest for a digital economy still rests on shaky ground. The greatest stumbling block remains what it has always been, power supply.
A nation cannot hope to digitise its economy when its entrepreneurs and citizens spend more time and money generating power than generating innovation. Until the power supply is fixed, Nigeria’s ambition for a true digital economy will remain more rhetoric than reality.
Private individuals and businesses have done more than their fair share. Many have moved from diesel to solar energy, inverters, and even bio-gas systems. Others have embraced energy-saving systems to reduce consumption. These efforts while admirable, represent only coping mechanisms, not sustainable solutions.
Generators, in particular, are a symbol of the broken system.
Their drawbacks are well documented: unbearable noise, air pollution, escalating costs, and long-term health risks. According to some health experts, constant exposure to generator fumes increases respiratory diseases. For small businesses, the costs of fueling and maintaining generators eat deep into profits.
The reality is stark: Nigeria cannot grow a digital economy on a foundation of noise and smoke.
Power is not optional. It is the backbone of everything—data centres, fintech apps, e-commerce platforms, e-health systems, and even education technology.
The government must take immediate steps to ease the burden while working on long-term fixes.
•Elvis Eromosele, a corporate communications professional and sustainability advocate, wrote via elviseroms@gmail.com.
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