Niger Faces Blackouts Following Cut of Electricity by Nigeria

Major cities in Niger Republic are facing rolling blackouts following cutting of electricity supplies to the country.

Residents living in the cities of Niamey, Marandi and Zinder have power for about an hour at a time before it is switched off for up to five hours.

The Niger electricity company, NIGELEC says, this is a result of Nigeria cutting supplies as part of sanctions imposed by the West African Bloc, ECOWAS, over the coup.

Nigeria is the major supplier of electricity to Niger. Transmission Company of Nigeria has declined to comment.

But an anonymous source told BBC that a supply to Niger Republic was cut on Tuesday following presidential directives.

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Power cuts like these are unusual in Niger, which normally has regular and reliable supplies.

On Sunday, West African leaders gave the military junta one week to give up power or face possible military intervention.

ECOWAS defence chiefs also met in Nigeria to discuss the Niger crisis and the best resolution.

It should be recalled that Niger’s democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, was ousted in a military coup last week by presidential guards.

General Abdourahmane Tchiani, the chief of the presidential guards, was installed as the head of state. The coup sparked several demonstrations against the country’s former colonial power, with the French embassy coming under attack in the country.

France responded by evacuating its citizens from the country. About 262 French citizens evacuated from Niger Republic arrived in Paris early Wednesday.