Afrobeats singer Ayra Starr has called for urgent action to ensure every African child has access to reliable electricity, drawing on her own experience growing up without stable power supply in Nigeria.
The artist, whose real name is Oyinkansola Sarah Okuneva, spoke on Thursday during a conversation on equitable energy access at Global Citizen NOW in New York. She described how the struggle for power shaped her childhood and continues to affect millions of children across the continent.
Ayra Starr said the lack of energy access goes beyond inconvenience. It limits education, health care, and economic opportunity for young people who deserve better. She argued that electricity is not a luxury but a basic right that African governments and the international community must prioritize.
The singer's intervention comes as Nigeria battles a severe power crisis. The national grid has repeatedly collapsed in recent months, leaving many Nigerians without electricity for extended periods. In rural areas, the situation is far worse, with some communities receiving power only a few hours per week or not at all.
Ayra Starr used her platform at the global forum to push for policy changes and investment in renewable energy infrastructure across Africa. She emphasized that children growing up without reliable power miss out on studying after dark, cannot charge devices for online learning, and live in conditions that affect their health and wellbeing.
The conversation at Global Citizen NOW brought together activists, policymakers, and business leaders focused on achieving sustainable development goals. Energy access remains one of Africa's most pressing challenges, with over 770 million people on the continent lacking reliable electricity according to international agencies.
Ayra Starr's advocacy adds celebrity weight to a growing movement pushing governments to expand power generation and distribution networks. Her experience as a child without steady electricity gives her credibility on the issue, and she has become one of several prominent Nigerians speaking out about the energy crisis.
The singer's comments are expected to fuel discussions at the UN about energy poverty in Africa and the need for accelerated investment in clean power solutions.
