By Sarah NEGEDU
Despite recent efforts by the Federal Capital Territory Administration to illuminate the city through an integrated hybrid solar-powered streetlight scheme, many residents remain doubtful that the initiative will finally end years of darkness across the city.
The ambitious “Light Up Abuja” project was launched by FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, in October, to replace and expand the capital’s existing streetlight network with hybrid solar installations designed to ensure round-the-clock illumination while reducing dependence on the national grid.
The project, which covers Lots I and II, is expected to be completed within six months and will span major expressways and districts across the city.
Wike, who described the initiative as part of efforts to improve safety and modernize the capital, said the administration inherited a city that was almost 80 percent in darkness.
“When we came on board, Abuja was almost 80 percent in darkness and insecurity was rising. Every week, files came in for streetlight maintenance, yet there was no light. It became a nightmare
“This time, it won’t be business as usual. The companies will maintain the facilities for four to five years, and the surveillance technology will ensure vandals and cable thieves are caught. No more excuses about darkness in Abuja,” he said.
However, despite assurances from the administration, residents have expressed doubt that the project will achieve lasting results, given Abuja’s long record of vandalism, poor maintenance and abandoned streetlight infrastructure.
For instance, along the Kubwa Expressway, the Airport Road, and other long stretches are broken or inactive streetlights which remain unlit even after dusk. Even by 8 p.m., the entire sections of the Kubwa expressway is constantly in darkness, forcing motorists to rely on full beam headlights to navigate the roads.
Aisha Bello, a civil servant who resides at Dutse Alhaji, told our reporter that the problem has persisted for months, forcing motorists to adapt to the new reality.
“Once it’s 8 p.m., the whole stretch goes dark. Drivers can hardly see the road except they fully beam their headlights. I almost brushed the road divider one night until a car behind me with better lights moved close that I realised I was too close to the kerb,” she said.
Emeka Okoro, a commercial driver who plies the Berger/Lugbe route, said residents have grown weary of repeated promises.
“They’ll launch new projects every time, but after a few months, the lights stop working. Nobody repairs them. The real issue is maintenance,” he said.
Beyond failed maintenance, findings have shown that deliberate sabotage has been one of the biggest threats to streetlight infrastructure across the capital.
In 2024, the Coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, Felix Obuah, disclosed that an expatriate contractor had been arrested for allegedly vandalising streetlight installations across several districts of the city.
Obuah, who led an inspection tours across the 21 lots under the streetlight project, revealed that 18 of the lots had suffered extensive damage including missing cables, removed poles, and broken fittings.
He said investigations by the FCTA indicated that the destruction was not random but orchestrated to create opportunities for replacement contracts.
In his words, “Investigations revealed that the vandalism was not just the work of scavengers but also high-level contractors, including an expatriate who has been detained for deliberately cutting cables and destroying poles to win repair jobs.”
The AMMC coordinator described the act as economic sabotage against the FCT and warned that anyone caught tampering with public infrastructure would be prosecuted.
Residents have since called for tighter surveillance and accountability mechanisms to protect the new hybrid solar installations once they are deployed. Many believe the success of the “Light Up Abuja” project will depend less on the technology used and more on how well the FCTA enforces maintenance and security.
For now, Abuja’s streets are plunged into darkness after nightfall, as residents wait to see whether this new initiative will finally restore the city’s glow or become another costly promise dimmed by neglect and sabotage.
