For many residents of Cross River State, electricity has become a distant memory rather than a basic service. Communities across Boki, Ikom and parts of Calabar South say they have endured years of darkness, with some claiming they have been without power for more than 14 years.

In Boki Local Government Area, resident Ajot Ajim described a community trapped in perpetual blackout. He said homes and shops rely on candles, kerosene lamps and small generators, which many can no longer afford to fuel. According to him, the absence of power has crippled local commerce and deepened poverty, even as politicians return during election seasons with fresh promises.

In Ikom LGA, the situation is similarly dire. Dr Dimitris Okim criticised what he called an intolerable neglect of basic infrastructure, urging both federal and state authorities to intervene. Another Ikom resident, Ashor Ubi, said his sachet water and soft drink business has been “paralysed” by the prolonged outage, forcing him to cut staff and lose customers to better-served areas.

In Calabar South, the impact is felt in crowded neighbourhoods like Edgerly Street. There, mother of four, Affiong Duke, said countless small-scale ventures, from frozen food stalls to hair salons, have collapsed under the weight of high generator costs and erratic supply. She accused successive governments of abandoning ordinary citizens to fend for themselves in darkness.

Trader Bassey Effiom linked the blackout to rising insecurity, saying unlit streets provide cover for armed robbers. He challenged the state government to match its rhetoric with visible improvements, warning that residents are losing faith in official assurances.

State Commissioner for Power, Hon Eka Williams, acknowledged the severity of the problem and attributed part of the disruption to fallen electricity poles and damaged infrastructure. He said repair teams are working to restore supply and promised that residents would see “effective power supply” once ongoing works are completed.

For now, however, many in Cross River remain sceptical. After years of failed timelines and temporary fixes, communities say they will only believe in change when their bulbs finally come back on and stay on.