Power outage disrupts services at Abuja hospital

Patients seeking medical attention at Maitama District Hospital, Abuja, were left waiting in darkness on Saturday morning after a power outage disrupted activities at the public health facility.

Our correspondent, who visited the hospital at about 9:30am on Saturday, October 10, 2026, observed patients seated in waiting areas without normal lighting.

After waiting for close to 20 minutes, the correspondent approached a nurse to enquire about the situation.

The nurse said the hospital had been without electricity for more than an hour, indicating that the outage began before the correspondent arrived.

A security guard at the facility also told our correspondent that staff did not know the cause of the blackout.

“There hasn’t been light for close to one hour. I can’t really speak as to when the light will be restored.”

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Our correspondent observed that the outage appeared to affect the hospital’s computer-based operations, making it difficult for patients to receive attention as expected.

The situation was particularly concerning because patients’ medical histories and records were stored electronically, making access to the information difficult when the systems could not function normally.

A patient who spoke to our correspondent said he had been at the hospital without receiving attention because of the power outage.

“We don’t really know what is happening. We were simply told there was no light and they couldn’t attend to us because our information was on the system.”

Located on Aguiyi Ironsi Street in Maitama, Abuja, the hospital serves residents of the Federal Capital Territory who depend on public healthcare facilities for medical attention.

There was no immediate official explanation from the hospital management regarding the cause of the blackout.

Deborah Tolu-Kolawole

Deborah Tolu-Kolawole is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with four years of experience covering Nigeria’s vast education sector as well as related areas such as politics, health, security, and labour. She blends rigorous reporting with digital storytelling to bring clarity and insight to complex issues affecting learners, educators, and policymakers. Deborah was a nominee for The Future Awards Africa (TFAA) Prize in Journalism, recognising her impactful reporting and contributions to Nigerian media. Her work reflects strong newsroom experience, editorial judgment, and a commitment to accurate, audience-focused journalism. In addition to her reporting, she is fluent in multiple languages and serves as a contributing member of The Punch editorial board.

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