Nigerian Afrobeats singer Ayra Starr has shared how Nigeria's unstable electricity supply negatively affected her childhood, stating that her life would have been different if she had grown up with a steady source of power.

Speaking at the Global Citizen NOW event in New York, the artist explained that the country's poor electricity infrastructure hampered her education, career development, and her family’s means of livelihood.

“Every Nigerian child has faced some type of electricity issues,” Starr said.

“My grandma used to sell tomatoes and peppers, and I used to assist her. We had to sell it quickly because we didn’t have electricity to store them.”

The singer noted that navigating these challenges ultimately built her resilience, though she emphasized that the lack of basic amenities created unnecessary hardships during her formative years.

“The harsh experience made me who I am today. Because I had to find ways to do what I had to do without the comfort of electricity,” she stated.

“Growing up, having electricity would have made a big difference. If I came back from school and I had AC or even a fan in the heat while doing my assignments, that would have made a big difference.”

Ayra Starr used the platform to appeal to African leaders to directly address the continent's persistent power challenges, stressing that every child deserves access to electricity and other basic social amenities to ensure proper growth and development.