.Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Pierre Antoine
Students under the National Association of Nigerian Students staged a coordinated protest in Osogbo, Osun State capital, on March 18, 2026, expressing growing frustration over what they described as a deepening electricity crisis affecting campuses and surrounding communities across the South-West region.
The protest, led by the South-West Zone D leadership of NANS, drew participants from multiple tertiary institutions who converged in the city to demand urgent government intervention. Demonstrators gathered around key locations, including the November 27 Bridge, before marching through major routes in Osogbo while displaying placards bearing messages such as “Stop Epileptic Power Supply,” “Increase Power Output,” and “Fix Our Power Now.”
The protesters described the situation as critical, noting that irregular electricity supply has significantly disrupted academic activities, particularly for students who rely on stable power for studying, research and digital learning. According to NANS South-West Coordinator, Josiah Adeyemo, the protest was intended to formally register students’ dissatisfaction with what he termed a persistent and worsening electricity failure affecting both campuses and wider society.
Adeyemo stated that the electricity crisis has created serious hardship for students, many of whom now face increased costs for alternative power sources such as fuel and private generators. He emphasized that electricity is a fundamental requirement for education and warned that continued neglect of the issue could further deteriorate learning conditions across institutions in the region.
Stone Reporters note that the protest reflects a broader pattern of dissatisfaction among Nigerian students, as the country continues to grapple with unstable power supply despite repeated reforms in the electricity sector. For students, the issue extends beyond convenience, affecting academic performance, mental well-being and financial stability.
The demonstration remained largely peaceful but carried strong warnings. NANS leadership made it clear that the Osogbo protest was only an initial step, describing it as a “preamble” to potentially larger actions. The student body threatened to escalate the situation into a wider South-West mobilisation if authorities fail to respond with concrete measures to improve electricity supply.
In a parallel development, residents of Osogbo also staged a separate protest targeting the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, further highlighting the scale of public frustration. The residents issued a seven-day ultimatum demanding restoration of better electricity classification for affected communities, warning that failure to comply could lead to more coordinated resistance against the company’s operations.
Security presence was heightened during the demonstrations, particularly around critical infrastructure such as the IBEDC regional office, where armed operatives were deployed to prevent any breakdown of law and order. Despite the tension, there were no immediate reports of violence or arrests, and the protest concluded without major incidents.
The electricity crisis in Nigeria remains a longstanding structural challenge, with frequent outages, fluctuating supply and infrastructure deficits continuing to affect households, businesses and institutions nationwide. For students, the impact is often more acute, as academic activities increasingly depend on digital tools and uninterrupted access to electricity.
Student leaders have also linked the power crisis to broader socio-economic challenges, arguing that poor electricity supply contributes to rising costs of living and limits opportunities for young people. Some participants in the protest expressed concern that the situation, if not addressed, could undermine educational outcomes and widen inequality among students.
The protest in Osogbo adds to a growing wave of civic actions across Nigeria, where citizens and organised groups are increasingly using public demonstrations to demand accountability and improved service delivery. Within the student community, such protests have historically played a significant role in shaping national discourse, particularly on issues affecting education and youth welfare.
While the Federal Government has previously announced reforms aimed at improving power generation and distribution, implementation gaps and infrastructural constraints have continued to hinder progress. The demands raised by NANS underscore the urgency of translating policy commitments into tangible improvements that directly impact everyday life.
As of the time of reporting, there has been no immediate official response from federal authorities or the electricity distribution company specifically addressing the protest demands. However, the warning of a possible large-scale regional demonstration suggests that the issue may escalate if concrete actions are not taken in the coming days.
The Osogbo protest represents a critical moment in the ongoing discourse around electricity supply in Nigeria, highlighting both the depth of public frustration and the increasing willingness of young people to demand accountability from authorities responsible for essential services.
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