Bodija Residents Urge Minister of Power to Tackle Prolonged Electricity Crisis in Ibadan …Community laments years of blackouts, demands installation of new 100MVA transformer before December deadline

The Bodija Estate Residents Association (BERA), the umbrella body representing all community associations within Bodija, has appealed to the Honourable Minister of Power to urgently intervene in the prolonged electricity challenges crippling Old Bodija, New Bodija, Basorun, Iwo Road, Oje, Mokola, and neighbouring areas of Ibadan.

Established in 1959 by the then Western Nigeria Housing Corporation under Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s administration, Bodija Estate is Nigeria’s oldest planned residential estate. Once a model of urban planning and organized living, the community now grapples with a worsening power supply situation that has disrupted daily life and economic activities.

Residents lament that for more than five years, electricity supply has been erratic, with outages sometimes lasting for days or weeks without clear communication from the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC).

Although Bodija was initially classified under Band A, which guarantees a minimum of 20 hours of daily electricity supply, residents say they never enjoyed such service despite paying higher tariffs. Following the federal government’s tariff adjustment in April 2024, which raised Band A rates to ₦225 per kWh, the community was later downgraded to Band B, supposedly offering 16 hours of power daily — a target that has also not been met.

Currently, Bodija and adjoining communities are served by a 40MVA transformer managed by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). However, the transformer is reportedly overloaded and unable to sustain the growing demand across the districts it serves.

Reliable sources within the power sector disclosed that TCN has already procured and delivered a 100MVA transformer to the site. Once installed, the new transformer is expected to significantly improve power supply, potentially restoring Bodija and neighbouring areas to Band A status and ensuring up to 20 hours of electricity daily.

The residents, therefore, appealed to the Honourable Minister of Power and the Federal Government to approve and expedite the installation of the new transformer before the end of December 2025.

According to BERA, this single intervention will restore reliable electricity supply, boost local businesses, and improve the quality of life for thousands of residents.

They further noted that such action would honour Bodija’s historical legacy as Nigeria’s first organized housing estate and reaffirm the government’s commitment to equitable power distribution and sustainable community development.