Parts of Côte d’Ivoire, the host nation for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), are grappling with a six-hour power outage, casting a shadow over the smooth progress of the tournament.
The outage, first reported by Nigerian sports journalist Suleiman Adebayo in an interview with Channels Television on Tuesday, has persisted for more than five hours and is affecting significant cities in Côte d’Ivoire.
Adebayo, sharing insights following Nigeria’s lone-goal victory against Guinea-Bissau on Monday, expressed concerns about the potential impact of the electricity disruption on the AFCON tournament in the affected areas.
Speculation arose when the journalist suggested a possible link between the power outage and the Ivorian national team’s staggering 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea.
“There is a power outage here for about five hours, perhaps due to the 4-0 loss by the Ivorians to Equatorial Guinea,” Adebayo stated during the interview.
This development coincides with Equatorial Guinea’s triumph in topping Group A, securing their place in the next stage of the tournament. Nigeria, finishing as the group runner-up with seven points, is also set to advance.
As the AFCON tournament progresses, organizers and local authorities are anticipated to address the power outage situation promptly to ensure the uninterrupted continuation of this highly anticipated football event.