National Grid Collapse: Kano communities grapple with severe water scarcity - SolaceBase

The recent collapse of Nigeria’s power grid has caused widespread chaos in several Kano communities, exacerbating an already dire water scarcity situation in the ancient city.

SolaceBase observed that a jerrican of water, previously sold at 70 naira, now goes for 300 naira, leaving many residents in distress.

This collapse, the sixth in 2024 alone, has intensified the ongoing power shortages across the country.

The blackout has severely affected Kano State, worsening water scarcity in areas that rely heavily on electric-powered boreholes.

Communities most affected by this crisis include Yankaba, Dakata, Tudun Murtala, Zango, Tudun Wada, Rimin Kebe, and Rangaza, among others.

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Residents in these areas are now dependent on private water vendors, as they are unable to access water from the state government’s water board.

SolaceBase reports that this is not the first time Kano residents are facing such hardship despite the state government’s claims of spending about N1.2 billion monthly to provide potable water in Kano metropolis, the problem remains unresolved.

Bitter Experience

Salim Ibrahim, a resident of Dakata, lamented the worsening situation caused by the power grid collapse.

“The price of a jerrican has skyrocketed from N70 naira to N300. Even with that, you have to search for vendors because many people are in need of water,” he said.

Ibrahim explained that the water vendors now travel longer distances to fetch water, as many boreholes have stopped operating due to the rising cost of petrol, making it difficult to run their generators.

Ramatu, a woman from Tudun Murtala, shared her frustration while searching for water with her young son.

“Yesterday, I bought two jerricans for 400 naira, but today I can’t even find one. I have children who missed school because we couldn’t cook due to a lack of water,” she explained.

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In Tudun Wada, another resident, Nura Muhammad, described a similar struggle.

“I’ve been searching for vendors since morning. The one I found had already sold out to people who came from afar,” he said, calling the situation a “bitter experience.”

Vendors Justify the Price Hike

Water vendors are defending the increased prices, stating that it is not their intention to worsen the situation.

Lawalli Ibrahim, a vendor, said the rise in water price is due to the cost of fuel used to power boreholes after the grid collapse.

“The owners of the boreholes are increasing prices because they need to buy petrol. We also have to charge more because we’re travelling long distances to get the water,” he explained.

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Another vendor, Muhammad Sani, echoed these sentiments. He noted that they are now making fewer trips due to long queues at boreholes.

“Instead of doing three or four rounds, we can only manage one or two because of the long wait at the boreholes,” he added.

The collapse of the national grid has left Kano communities facing a difficult choice: pay higher prices for water or endure severe scarcity.