From Femi Mustapha, in Kaduna
The ongoing power outrage experienced in some parts of the country including Kaduna State is fast becoming a money-making venture for some, as the business of phone charging has sprung up in different parts of
State.
The power cut, which began on Monday, has forced residents to rely on these vendors to keep their devices charged.
An investigation by Citizenship Daily revealed that almost every community in the Crocodile City now has an emergency charging point to charge their phone.
A visit to Sani Katsina Street on U/Sunday in Chikun local Government Area shows Madam Mary, who brought out her generator and constructed extension units for charging.
Madam Mary, who looked excited, said she charged between three to five Naira for one hour of charging, depending on the type of phone.
She quickly said it was not her fault, but fuel is expensive, and the blackout lasting over five days has made things even harder,” as she told our correspondent.
Similarly, Ahmed Bello, popularly known as ‘Yellow ” in Minimum City, said he earned much money to pay his bills during the outrage.
He expressed delight at the business opportunity created by the outrage. According to him, he uses his generator for hair cut business but hardly gets enough customers.
“Yesterday I had over 30 phones for night charging and that is more expensive but people are willing to pay and I am happy” he said.
A resident of Hayin Banki in Kaduna North LGA, Haruna Musal, expressed dismay over the hardship caused by the extended blackout, saying, “Charging was cheaper before. Now I pay N500 just for a power bank, and they may not even let it to be fully charged. It’s a struggle.”
Speaking in the same vein, Amos Titus of Malali pleaded with the Transmission Company of Nigeria to restore power urgently, expressing frustration with the delay.
“We’ve been in darkness for days, and only this Wednesday did TCN identify the issue affecting the area. Phone charging vendors are taking advantage of us, and it’s becoming unbearable,” he added.
But in a sharp reaction, Bala Hassan of GT Bus Stop in Barnawa said, “Life is such that when someone is crying, another is laughing”, acknowledging that the current electricity problem is favoring his business.
He said, “Life is bittersweet; one person’s tears is another’s laughter. The truth is, those suffering are many. I’m now earning enough to feed my family, unlike before when people rarely patronized me.
“But since the power outage, people flock here to charge their phones. More customers mean more money. I recharge over a hundred phones daily, plus laptops, torchlights, and other electronics. Sometimes, I have to turn people away due to lack of space. As you can see, everywhere is filled with phones.
“I’m one of those benefiting from the situation, but I empathize with Nigerians crying about it. There’s nothing I can do. It’s the situation that permits it. Don’t forget, I’m also buying fuel at a high cost. Whatever I earn, I split with the filling stations,” he added.
