The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has announced a fresh power outage affecting parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), attributing the disruption to a fault on one of its high-voltage underground cables.
The electricity distribution company disclosed the development in a public notice issued on Tuesday, informing customers that engineers had commenced efforts to identify and repair the fault in order to restore electricity supply to affected areas.
The latest outage has added to growing concerns among residents and businesses over recurring power disruptions in Abuja, with several communities reporting unstable electricity supply in recent days.
According to AEDC, the outage is affecting customers in Usuma Street, Off Gana Street, Zenith Bank, H-Medix and surrounding areas within the Maitama district of Abuja.
The company explained that the interruption in power supply resulted from a fault on a high-voltage underground cable serving the affected locations.
In its notice, AEDC appealed to customers for understanding while repair work continues.
“We wish to inform you that the current power outage is due to a fault in a high-voltage underground cable,” the company stated.
Although AEDC did not provide a timeline for restoring electricity, it assured residents that technical teams were working to rectify the fault as quickly as possible.
Residents report wider electricity disruptions
The latest announcement comes as electricity consumers in other parts of the Federal Capital Territory continue to complain about prolonged power outages.
Residents in Apo Resettlement, Wuye and several neighbouring communities have reported experiencing intermittent or complete loss of electricity since Monday.
Many residents expressed frustration over the situation, saying the outages have disrupted business activities, affected household routines and increased dependence on alternative power sources such as generators and solar systems.
Business owners, particularly those operating restaurants, supermarkets, salons and small manufacturing outfits, said unreliable electricity supply has significantly increased their operating costs.
Some residents also called on AEDC to improve communication by providing regular updates on the status of repair works and expected restoration times.
Underground cable faults pose technical challenges
Unlike overhead power lines, underground electricity cables are generally protected from weather-related damage but can be more difficult to inspect and repair when faults occur.
Experts say locating defects in underground high-voltage cables often requires specialised equipment and technical investigations before excavation and repairs can begin.
Depending on the nature of the damage, repairs may take several hours or, in some cases, longer if major cable components need to be replaced.
Electricity distribution companies typically isolate faulty sections of the network to prevent further damage while restoration efforts are ongoing.
AEDC did not disclose the exact cause of the cable fault or whether ongoing construction activities or equipment failure contributed to the incident.
Power supply remains major concern
Electricity supply remains one of Nigeria’s major infrastructure challenges despite continued investments in generation, transmission and distribution.
Consumers across the country frequently experience outages caused by transmission constraints, distribution equipment failures, vandalism, weather conditions and technical faults.
In the Federal Capital Territory, businesses and residents have repeatedly called for more reliable electricity, noting that frequent outages affect productivity, healthcare services, education and overall quality of life.
Many households now rely on generators and renewable energy systems to bridge supply gaps, while businesses often spend significant amounts on fuel and maintenance to keep operations running during outages.
Energy experts have consistently stressed the need for greater investment in electricity infrastructure, preventive maintenance and rapid fault-response mechanisms to improve service delivery.
AEDC assures customers of restoration efforts
AEDC said its technical personnel are actively working to repair the faulty underground cable and restore electricity supply to affected customers.
The company urged residents in the affected areas to remain patient while the repair work is completed, adding that updates would be provided as necessary.
For now, residents of Maitama and several other parts of Abuja continue to await the restoration of normal electricity supply, hoping the latest disruption will be resolved without prolonged delays as concerns over the reliability of power supply in the nation’s capital persist.