A group of women in a Nigerian community have confronted officials of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria PHCN who arrived their neighbourhood to disconnect electricity lines despite what residents describe as months of near-total blackout.

The incident, captured in a viral video circulating on social media, shows several women blocking PHCN workers from climbing an electric pole with a ladder. The women, speaking passionately in Yoruba, accused the company of attempting to cut them off even though they have allegedly been without power for about three months.

In the clip, one of the women can be heard saying that they have been forced to sleep outside at night because of the heat and lack of electricity, insisting that it is unjust for officials to threaten disconnection when no meaningful supply has been provided. Their protest quickly turned into a human shield around the ladder, with the women refusing to move.

At one point, tension escalates when a PHCN official appears to shove one of the women. The others immediately close in on him, raising their voices and demanding that the team leave the area. The officials are seen hesitating, unable to proceed with the disconnection as the women stand their ground.

The video has triggered widespread debate online. Many Nigerians have praised the women for what they see as a rare act of community resistance against what they describe as exploitative billing and arbitrary disconnections. Commenters argue that it is unreasonable to demand payment or threaten sanctions in areas where power supply has been erratic or non-existent.

The confrontation reflects broader national frustration over worsening electricity supply. Across the country, households and businesses have reported prolonged outages, higher tariffs and increased reliance on generators. The situation has fuelled anger toward distribution companies and regulators, with citizens questioning what they are paying for.

Amid the outcry, authorities have acknowledged the deterioration in supply and promised improvements, but many Nigerians remain sceptical. For the women in the viral video, the message was clear: until power is restored consistently, they will not allow officials to disconnect the little infrastructure they still have.