Abuja, Feb. 22, 2026 (NAN) In what could be described as a twist of fate, local food vendors in some satellite towns in the FCT are making brisk business amid epileptic power supply in the areas.
This is as many households, businesses and people in the areas had complained on how the epileptic supply had obstructed and crippled their day to day activities.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) checks in Abuja on Sunday, revealed that some middle and low income families in these areas now resort to patronising local food vendors, especially for their ‘swallow’ food cravings.
Some of the families who spoke to NAN said they preferred to patronise restaurants for their one-off swallow consumption than to prepare it in bulk as there was no power to store it in the refrigerator than to watch it go bad.
Corroborating above statements, some food vendors in the areas confirmed improved sales and attributed it to the hand of God in their business.
Mrs Emem Usoro, a Calabar restaurant operator in Agwandadi suburb of Nyanya, said her sales record had tripled, especially in night hours.
Usoro who said that the general thinking was that businesses were slow at the beginning of the year, noted that it was not the case in her business this year.
”I thank God for my sales this year. I usually make between N10,000 to N15,000 daily before but now, the day I don’t sell, I make like N35,000 daily,” she said.
Madam Deborah Nnona, a restaurant operator, popularly known as ‘Nwanyi Anambra’ in Mararaba, said she gained new customers this season and the demand for her swallow and soups had increased tremendously.
”I have seen families coming here in the evenings to eat together, especially demanding for particular soups.
”I prepare varieties of soups ranging from bitter leaf, Afang, Egusi and they finish before I know it.
”Business has improved very well, ” she said.
Another restaurant operator in Lugbe, Miss Angela Idachaba, said that although the epileptic power supply was also affecting her business, she had recorded a slight increase in her sales.
”I calculate what I buy daily so that it will not remain and get spoilt. I don’t buy extra meat anymore. I only buy the things I need daily for my business.
”It is stressful but it has saved me a lot of wastages.
”Truly, my business improved a little,” she said.
Madam Ini Ndiana, a ‘mama put’ food vendor in Kubwa, said that she had expanded her business space due to sharp increase in the number of her customers.
Mrs Becky Akputa, a mother of five who resides at Nyanya, said she no longer preserved food in her freezer due to the development.
Akputa said her household previously depended on electricity to preserve their food (soups) which lasted for more than two weeks but could no longer do so due to epileptic power supply in the area
”I spent nothing less than N10,000 to prepare a pot of soup last two weeks but it went bad the next morning and I ended up throwing it away because there was no electricity to freeze it.
”Due to that terrible experience, we agreed that anyone that wanted to eat swallow and soup will buy it from a restaurant close to my house to avoid this wastage,” she said.
Mrs Sarah Onifade, a housewife in Nyanya, said her freezer had spoilt due to unstable power supply.
Onifade who said there was no need to take the freezer for repairs due to the poor electricity supply, said she preferred to spend like N2,000 to buy soup for her children.
”I usually prefer to buy soup for my children to eat swallow than cook it at home. Before now, it was more economical to cook at home but after my soups spoilt, I learnt my lessons.
”I spent the whole morning cooking a pot of pepper soup for my family sometimes last week and it also got spoilt because of this power outage.
”No electricity to keep it fresh, my family will have to eat outside again today until the light issue stabilises,” she said.
Mrs Chidimma Okoli, a civil servant resident in Kubwa, said the area barely got two hours of electricity supply daily.
Okoli who described the situation as frustrating, said there was urgent need to fix the situation.
”My salary was reduced last month so I don’t even have enough to buy fuel for my generator everyday.
”I thank God that my children are grown ups so, they do buy some of these things themselves.
”Although they don’t like eating swallow and soup, I send them to buy for me whenever I crave for it,” she said.
Mr Segun Ariyo, a trader, appealed to the government as well as electricity generation and distribution companies to urgently rectify the power situation.
Ariyo said he had instructed his wife to stop cooking large quantity of food for fear of wastage.
”Electricity situation in this country has never been this bad before.
”Government should help us to solve this issue because it is costing us a fortune.
”My wife no longer cook soup at home and swallow is my favourite food. I now eat it at a particular spot whenever I go to work,” he said.
NAN, however,ir reports that most businesses had counted losses due to the epileptic power supply in their areas. (NAN)
