Chamber of commerce laments as power outage cripples businesses in Badagry

The Badagry Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BACCIMA) says power outages are crippling businesses in Badagry town.

The President, BACCIMA, Alhaji Idris Yahaya, said this an interview with our on Thursday in Badagry.

Yahaya appealed to the Lagos State Government to urgently look into the protracted electricity outage, stressing that economic activities are at a standstill in the area.

“Badagry and its environs are hanging by a thread, industries can’t thrive in the dark.

“BACCIMA is the voice of business along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor from Seme to Apapa, covering the entire old Badagry Division.
“Today, many towns, villages, and markets in this region remain in total darkness.

“How can Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) survive under such conditions? It’s simply not possible,” he said.

He noted that artisans, market women dealing in frozen foods and beverages and key players in the MSMEs ecosystem rely heavily on electricity to sustain their operations.

Yahaya added that the current blackout had left many unable to preserve goods or run essential equipment.

“The cost of fueling generators for homes and businesses is unbearable. It’s killing,” he said.

According to him, traders, farmers, and entrepreneurs cannot meet their financial obligations – such as rents, school fees, and even food.

“This is so because the lifeline of their operations is nonexistent,” he said.

Idris called for an immediate overhaul of electricity supply infrastructure and the construction of a dedicated substation and transmission facility in Badagry.

“This will serve communities like Apa-Owode, Seme, Ajara Agelaso, Vetho, Itoun, Agbovipe, Agadangba, and surrounding areas.
“It is unimaginable that Nigeria’s border communities remain in darkness, while across the divide in Seme-Poji, Benin Republic, electricity is stable and streets are well-lit,” he added