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Nollywood actress and filmmaker Mary Njoku has criticised Nigeria’s electricity situation, expressing concern that citizens have reached a point where receiving just 30 minutes of power supply is considered something worth celebrating.
The actress questioned the country’s progress, noting that electricity supply had deteriorated to the extent that Nigerians appeared to have adjusted their expectations to accommodate frequent power failures.
In a social media post, Njoku reflected on her experiences over the past four decades, observing that her attitude towards electricity had changed significantly. She recalled a time when she complained whenever power went off but now found herself celebrating when supply was restored.
“In my four decades in Nigeria, I’ve gone from complaining when the lights went off to celebrating when they come on!” she wrote.
Her comment highlighted what she considered a troubling change in the expectations of citizens regarding one of the country’s most basic public services.
Njoku also questioned how Nigeria could experience such a decline in electricity supply while the cost of accessing power continued to increase.
She wondered whether the country was genuinely making progress or had simply become accustomed to enduring problems that should have been addressed.
“Are we actually making progress as a nation, or have we simply become better at surviving our failures?” she asked.
The filmmaker’s remarks drew attention to the frustration surrounding unreliable electricity supply, which continues to affect households, businesses and other sectors of the Nigerian economy.
For many Nigerians, access to stable electricity remains a major challenge, with frequent outages forcing residents and business owners to depend on alternative sources of power.
Njoku’s observation focused particularly on how citizens have gradually lowered their expectations. Rather than demanding consistent electricity, she suggested that people now find reasons to celebrate even brief periods of supply.
She further lamented that the situation reflected a worrying reversal, especially at a time when technology and development were advancing rapidly in other parts of the world.
According to her, Nigerians had moved from complaining about experiencing 30 minutes without electricity to accepting and celebrating just 30 minutes of power supply.
The contrast formed a central part of her criticism, as she questioned how a country could reach a stage where such limited access to electricity had become acceptable to many people.
Her comments also raised concerns about the financial burden of unreliable power supply. As electricity costs continue to rise, consumers are left questioning the value of the service they receive.
Households and businesses that experience frequent outages often have to make additional arrangements to meet their electricity needs. This can involve spending more money on petrol, diesel, generators and other alternative power solutions.
For entrepreneurs, the situation can increase operating expenses and make it more difficult to sustain daily activities. Families also face additional costs when they have to rely on generators or other sources of electricity to carry out basic household tasks.
Njoku’s concerns therefore went beyond the inconvenience of power outages, touching on the wider implications of an unreliable electricity system for citizens.
Her reference to spending four decades in Nigeria also gave her criticism a personal dimension. By comparing her former expectations with her present experience, she highlighted how prolonged challenges can gradually change what people consider normal.
The actress questioned whether Nigerians were witnessing genuine national development or merely learning to live with persistent failures.
Her remarks have added to the ongoing public conversation about electricity supply in the country, particularly the frustration of consumers who continue to face outages despite paying for power.
She maintained that the acceptance of 30 minutes of electricity as a reason for celebration should prompt serious reflection on the country’s direction.
For Njoku, the bigger concern is how Nigerians have become accustomed to a situation that should ordinarily attract widespread dissatisfaction, rather than celebration.
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