Rising temperatures and unreliable electricity supply are forcing residents across several Nigerian states to sleep outdoors, take repeated night-time baths and spend more on alternative power sources as households struggle to cope with worsening heat.
From Jos to Enugu, Benue, Nasarawa, Kano, Niger, Edo, Bayelsa and Ogun, residents say prolonged blackouts, water shortages and the high cost of fuel have made sleeping at night increasingly difficult, reports Saturday PUNCH.
The situation has heightened concerns about the health of children, elderly people and residents with underlying medical conditions as Nigeria enters the dry season.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency has warned that Nigerians should prepare for hotter days as the country transitions from the rainy season to the dry season.
Adding to the concerns, research organisation Climate Impact Lab, in its updated El Niño Heat Mortality Tracker, projected that Nigeria could record approximately 56,000 heat-related deaths between October 2026 and March 2027.
El Niño is a natural climate phenomenon characterised by unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. The climate pattern is expected to contribute to extreme heat conditions across several countries.
Residents abandon bedrooms for outdoor spaces
In Plateau State, residents of Jos are increasingly sleeping on verandas and in open compounds as intense night-time temperatures combine with unreliable electricity supply.
A community leader in Angwa Rogo, Jos North Local Government Area, Hamisu Abdullahi, said households were struggling to cope, particularly families with young children and elderly members.
“People now sleep outside because rooms are too hot. There is no light to run fans,” he said.
A women leader in Tudun Wada, Sarah Dangyang, said some parents had resorted to bathing their infants frequently and purchasing rechargeable fans costing between ₦25,000 and ₦60,000.
A youth leader in the area, Samson Chung, said some residents had complained of dizziness and dehydration, which he attributed to the intense heat and poor electricity supply.
Residents in Enugu, Benue, Nasarawa, Kano, Niger, Edo, Bayelsa, Ogun, Yobe and Kwara states also described the weather as increasingly unbearable.
They said erratic electricity, inadequate water supply and expensive fuel had made it difficult to find relief.
In Enugu, resident Ken Ezim said the combination of high temperatures and unreliable electricity had made sleeping at night particularly difficult.
“The heat in Enugu State here is so much. Even if you come out in the sun, you will be running to where there is shade. We pray that the heatwave will be moderate for us because it is hitting us,” he said.
He lamented that the cost of fuel made it increasingly difficult for households to depend on generators.
“The cost of fuel has also compounded the situation because how much will you be burning on a daily basis to provide your own power supply? It is terrible. I bathe before I go to bed, and when I wake up around 1 am or 2 am, I bathe again to cool myself,” he added.
Another resident, Theresa Achugo, said she and her family sometimes left their home to sit under trees because their rooms became unbearably hot during power outages.
She added that parents were struggling to keep their children comfortable at night while balancing the need for ventilation against the risk of mosquito bites.
In Benue State, some families have also abandoned their bedrooms for outdoor spaces.
A community leader in Otukpo, Sunny Edi, said the heat made indoor activities difficult even during the day.
“As we are talking now, I cannot stay indoors due to the hot weather because there is no light. The worst period is the night, especially when there is no light. Every family within our community now sleeps outside. Even when there is light, the breeze is always hot,” he said.
A retired civil servant in Makurdi, Peter Atoundo, said the weather had aggravated concerns about his health.
He said he followed his physician’s advice to drink enough water and take frequent baths, adding that he sometimes slept under trees in the afternoon because of unstable electricity.
Fuel costs, water scarcity worsen situation
In Nasarawa State, residents of Lafia, Akwanga and Keffi complained about worsening electricity supply, saying some households had been forced to sleep outside their rooms.
A Lafia resident, Abubakar Yahuza, said the heat had become particularly difficult to endure because electricity supply had deteriorated.
“Most of us have stopped sleeping inside our rooms at night because of the terrible weather conditions,” he said.
Another resident, Hanatu Ibrahim, said the high cost of fuel had prevented many households from using generators as an alternative source of electricity.
She urged the government to address unreliable power supply, noting that residents were struggling to remain comfortable in their homes.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Nasarawa State Governor on Public Affairs, Peter Ahemba, said the government planned to embark on sensitisation campaigns in urban and rural communities to educate residents on coping with the heat.
He advised residents to drink water regularly to remain hydrated and reduce the risk of heat-related illnesses.
In Kano State, residents of Farm Centre in Tarauni Local Government Area said poor electricity supply at night had disrupted their sleep.
A resident, Rabi’u Ya’u, said the combination of high temperatures and unreliable electricity made adequate rest difficult.
Another resident, Musa Bello, said some households had resorted to sleeping outdoors under mosquito nets.
He added that residents who could afford it had installed solar power systems to reduce their dependence on public electricity supply.
In Niger State, residents of Minna said the unusually early onset of the dry season had brought intense heat, while prolonged power outages worsened their situation.
A resident of Tunga Bypass, Hajiya Aishatu Nda, accused officials of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company of disconnecting electricity to her compound over an outstanding bill, leaving residents without power throughout the weekend.
She said many households were already struggling with limited electricity supply before the disconnection.
A community leader in Angwa Samande, Tunga, Musa Abdullahi, said water scarcity had become another source of concern.
He alleged that water vendors had increased their charges as supplies dwindled, while the state water board was failing to provide adequate water to some communities.
He expressed concern about how residents would cope if the intense heat persisted into December and January.
The Niger State Ministry of Health said it was aware of the situation and advised residents to carry drinking water whenever they went outdoors.
An official of the ministry said the government was monitoring electricity and water supply challenges.
In Bayelsa State, a community leader in Amarata, Yenagoa, Anthony Akpagra, said families relied on electric fans whenever electricity was available but struggled to afford fuel for generators.
He expressed hope that the state government’s urban lighting initiative would improve electricity supply, particularly in Amarata.
Edo mobilises town criers, Ogun residents buy solar fans
In Edo State, traditional and community leaders said they had begun sensitising residents on measures to reduce health risks associated with the heat.
The Elekor of Ekor in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, Oba Raphael Alufa, said he had engaged town criers to educate residents on wearing light clothing and drinking plenty of water.
He said farmers had also adjusted their schedules, leaving for their farms as early as 5:30 am and returning around 9 am to avoid the scorching sun.
Alufa urged residents, particularly nursing mothers, to follow health advice being circulated in their communities.
A community leader in Amagba, Benin, Gabriel Osa, said residents struggled most when temperatures peaked during the day.
He said a recent power outage following the strike by electricity workers left residents without electricity for about a week, making the heat more difficult to endure.
In Ogun State, some residents said they had invested in solar-powered fans to cope with the rising temperatures and unreliable electricity supply.
A civil servant, Toke Olukoya, said she had purchased solar-powered fans as an alternative to conventional electricity.
“I have invested in solar-powered fans in case the IBEDC decides to go their usual erratic way. I have also been an advocate telling people how they can cope with the heatwave because I believe that when it is not well with my neighbour, I myself won’t be at ease,” she said.
Another resident, Lekan Aina, said he bought three solar fans to protect his wife and three children from the unbearable heat.
He added that he had advised his family to drink water regularly and take frequent baths.
Experts warn against alcohol, sugary drinks
Amid the growing concerns, public health experts have advised Nigerians to stay hydrated, avoid alcohol and sugary drinks, wear light clothing and limit outdoor activities during the hottest periods of the day.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Medical Association, Prof Olayinka Atilola, said excessive sweating during periods of intense heat could cause dehydration, making it important for people to replenish lost fluids by drinking plenty of water.
He advised Nigerians to reduce or avoid alcohol, caffeine and sugary drinks.
“People must also reduce or stop consumption of alcohol and sugary drinks because alcohol, caffeine and sugary drinks are a way of increasing the level of dehydration,” he said.
Atilola also recommended loose-fitting, lightweight clothing to allow the body to regulate its temperature more effectively.
He advised residents to take regular showers with lukewarm water and use damp towels to cool their bodies, explaining that water evaporation could help remove heat from the skin.
He further urged Nigerians to avoid strenuous activities during the hottest hours, particularly between 11 am and 4 pm, and use umbrellas or seek shade when outdoors.
The medical expert called for special attention to children and elderly people, who he said required additional protection during periods of extreme heat.
He advised anyone experiencing severe weakness, dizziness, muscle cramps and headaches to seek medical attention, warning that such symptoms could indicate that the heat was affecting their health.
Similarly, the Director of Public Health at the Kaduna State Ministry of Health, Dr Sadique Abubakar, advised residents to minimise exposure to excessive heat, drink plenty of water and ensure adequate ventilation in their homes.
He also recommended the use of umbrellas outdoors and advised residents to avoid overcrowded places during periods of intense heat.
“What we advise people to do is minimise their exposure to excessive heat as much as possible. People should stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and maintaining good health,” Abubakar said.
He urged anyone experiencing symptoms suggestive of heatstroke to seek prompt medical attention at the nearest health facility.
The former Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association in Kaduna State, Dr Sheyin Madaki, warned that unusually high temperatures could persist until February 2027, increasing the risks of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke.
He advised Nigerians to drink water regularly, even when they were not thirsty, and urged families to pay particular attention to children and older people.
Madaki identified excessive sweating, headaches, dizziness, confusion and nausea as possible warning signs of dehydration and other heat-related illnesses.
Urbanisation increases exposure to extreme heat
A climate change expert, Gboyega Olorunfemi, attributed Nigeria’s vulnerability to extreme heat partly to rapid urbanisation.
Olorunfemi, Project Lead at the Society for Planet and Prosperity, said many Nigerians working in agriculture, construction, waste disposal and other informal sectors were particularly exposed because their occupations required prolonged outdoor activity.
He identified limited tree cover, unreliable electricity, poor housing ventilation and inadequate access to cooling facilities as factors worsening heat exposure.
“Rapid urbanization, which has created heat islands, limited tree cover, unreliable electricity, poor housing ventilation and inadequate access to cooling, has increased heat stress, and this is very obvious,” he said.
