At 36, I’ve Never Enjoyed 24 Hours of Steady Electricity in Nigeria – Sarz

Renowned Nigerian music producer and executive, Osabuohien Osaretin, popularly known as Sarz, has voiced deep frustration over the devastating effects of Nigeria’s epileptic power supply and crumbling infrastructure on the country’s booming creative sector.

The multiple award-winning beatmaker, who turned 36 this year, made the revelation during a recent episode of the Afropolitan podcast titled “Sarz: The Brutal Truth About Making It in Afrobeats,” which dropped on February 25, 2026. NaijaChoice News reports that Sarz, born and raised in Benin City, Edo State, painted a grim picture of how unreliable electricity continues to kill inspiration and limit the full potential of Nigerian creatives.

“I was born and raised in this country and I have never experienced electricity for 24 hours,” Sarz declared in the podcast. “There are times when I wake up feeling inspired and I want to create music but there is no light. Sometimes, even when you want to buy fuel, they will tell you that there is a strike or scarcity. And then you end up doing nothing and the potential just wastes.”

The producer, famous for the signature tag “Sarz on the beat” and global hits like Wizkid’s “One Dance” (which he co-produced), “Come Closer,” and Lojay’s “Monalisa” (that later featured Chris Brown), stressed that creatives operate best when mentally charged. But Nigeria’s infrastructure failures strike at the worst possible moments.

“As a creative person, you need to be mentally charged to perform at your best. So, when the infrastructure is lacking the moment you are mentally charged, it is a challenge,” he added.

Sarz, who launched his Sarz Academy to mentor and empower the next generation of producers and engineers, emphasised that solid infrastructure remains the backbone for any entertainment industry to truly thrive. He noted that while Nigerian music has conquered the world – from Afrobeats dominating global charts to collaborations with Beyoncé and Drake – the local ecosystem is still severely limited by basic deficiencies like power.

NaijaChoice News gathered that this is not the first time top creatives have raised the alarm. For decades, studio sessions in Lagos and other major cities have been routinely disrupted by sudden blackouts, forcing producers and artists to rely on expensive generators amid rising fuel costs and frequent scarcity. Many young talents inspired at odd hours lose those golden ideas forever when NEPA takes light, turning potential chart-toppers into wasted opportunities.

The ace producer’s candid outburst has sparked massive reactions across social media, with many Nigerian artistes, producers, and fans echoing his pain. From sound engineers battling to mix tracks to video directors losing footage to power surges, the story is the same – infrastructure deficit is quietly sabotaging one of Nigeria’s brightest economic sectors.

Despite these challenges, Sarz continues to break barriers. His 2025 debut album Protect Sarz at All Costs, featuring heavyweights like Wizkid, Asake, Gunna, and Skillibeng, has already crossed 100 million streams on Spotify. He has also earned multiple Producer of the Year nominations at The Headies and continues to push Afrobeats globally through his 1789 Entertainment imprint.

Yet, in the podcast, Sarz made it clear: talent alone is not enough without enabling environment. He pointed out how poor power, bad roads, and other infrastructure gaps make it harder for creatives to scale, retain income from local streams, and build sustainable careers without constant struggle.

Many stakeholders in the industry believe Sarz’s revelation should serve as a wake-up call to the government. With the creative and entertainment sector contributing significantly to Nigeria’s GDP and youth employment, experts argue that fixing electricity and other basic amenities could unlock billions more in revenue and position Nigeria as Africa’s undisputed creative powerhouse.