Ayra Starr Opens Up On How Nigeria’s Electricity Crisis Shaped Her Childhood

Nigerian Afrobeats star Ayra Starr, born Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, has spoken candidly about the impact of unstable electricity supply on her upbringing, saying life could have been very different if she had grown up with steady power.
Speaking at the Global Citizen NOW event in New York City, the singer reflected on how persistent electricity challenges affected her education and her family’s livelihood while growing up in Nigeria.
Ayra Starr revealed that her grandmother sold tomatoes and peppers, and because there was no reliable electricity for storage, they were often forced to sell the goods quickly before they spoiled.
“Every Nigerian child has faced some type of electric...