Nigerian radio stations stop 24-hour transmission over diesel cost and lack of power supply
Two Nigerian radio stations have said they are temporarily stopping 24-hour operations as prices of diesel and poor power supply continue to pile on the pressure on businesses in the country.
Hot 98.3 in Nigeria’s capital city Abuja and Ogun State-based Women Radio 91.7 said new transmission hours will be in place until the power supply improves and prices of diesel stabilised.
Blackouts are common in Nigeria, where dilapidated infrastructure often fails to distribute even insufficient electricity supplies.
But extended collapses of the power supply over the last several weeks have combined with a global hike in diesel prices to create one of the country’s worst recent energy crises.
Many businesses rely on diesel generators to keep the lights on when power is out, and since Ukraine’s crisis doubled fuel prices in Nigeria, operating costs are sky-high.
“Due to the diesel scarcity and the poor power supply we would like to notify all Hot FM Abuja listeners and partners that the station will be adjusting transmission times until the current situation improves,” the radio station said in a statement posted to its Instagram page on March 18. It will transmit between 5.00 am until 9:30 pm daily.
Women Radio said its new 6:30 am – 8 pm schedule for transmission started on March 23.
“You are very important to us,” the station said to its listeners.