Residents of Kano State have expressed concerns over the persistent heatwave sweeping across the state and other parts of northern Nigeria.
They also complained about erratic electricity supply, saying it cripples socio-economic activities and makes it harder to cope with the extreme weather.
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Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano, some residents and small-scale business operators described this hot season as one of the toughest in recent years.
A resident, Rekiya Aliyu, said this year’s heat had been unusually intense and began earlier than expected.
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“This year, there was no extreme cold weather at all, even during the cold season. After Ramadan, the kind of heat we’ve experienced in Kano is like nothing I’ve seen since I moved here,” Mrs Aliyu said.
She added that the heat becomes unbearable by noon, disrupting daily life and affecting residents’ health.
“I keep pouring water on my body from morning till night to cool down. Even the water in the bathroom gets hot on its own,” she said.
Another resident, Salma Usman, said the weather had become unbearable between afternoon and evening.
“The heat is seriously affecting our activities. In the afternoon, we are tired, sweating, and weak. My children have heat rashes and keep crying because of the heat,” Mrs Usman said.
Yusufa Abdullahi, a bricklayer, said the heat had robbed many residents of sleep and reduced productivity.
“The weather is very serious. We can’t even sleep at night. If you don’t sleep, you can’t work well. Even in the morning, I feel tired and dizzy at work,” he said.
A school teacher, Ele Abalaka, described the heat as overwhelming and said unstable electricity had worsened the hardship, forcing households to rely on costly alternatives.
“We hardly have electricity throughout the week. Sometimes, power comes for only a few minutes and goes off again. If you want comfort at night or to preserve food, you must use a generator or solar power,” Ms Abalaka said.
According to her, running a generator now costs more than N7,000 daily in fuel expenses.
Matilda Udo, who produces natural drinks such as zobo, kunu, and tiger nut drink, said the harsh weather and poor power supply had hurt her business.
“I spend a lot buying ice blocks to keep my drinks cold. “Sometimes, the cost of preservation wipes out my profit,” Mrs Udo said.
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Sarah King said the intense heat had slowed her productivity and affected customer service.
“The heat makes me weak and slows down my work. Sometimes I have to stop and wait for the weather to cool before I continue,” Miss King, a student and fashion designer, said.
The respondents appealed to the government and electricity providers to improve power supply to boost socio-economic activities.
(NAN)
