Libreville faces dark days due to SEEG’s computer glitch
As the scorching heat grips Libreville, residents are battling more than just the sweltering temperatures. A sudden computer failure at the Gabonese electricity utility SEEG has plunged the capital into darkness, leaving thousands of households in limbo with no access to essential electricity credit units.
Since dawn on June 15th, customers have been unable to purchase vital EDAN units—the lifeblood of their prepaid meters—necessary to keep their homes powered. The disruption, which struck in the dead of night, has left the utility scrambling for solutions, though no concrete timeline for resolution has been provided beyond vague assurances of an imminent fix.
Frustrated residents have poured into SEEG’s headquarters in the city center, hoping for answers, only to be met with closed doors and silent counters. “We’re in the dark about what’s happening. Everyone is left waiting for the system to magically reboot,” lamented Eric Ovono, a long-suffering customer whose patience has worn thin.
Jennifer Engouma, who typically purchases her credit from neighborhood agencies, found herself at a dead end. “They told me it’s a connection issue. I made the trip to the city center, but even here, there are no units available. I’ve been without power for four days now. At night, the only company I have is the mosquitoes,” she shared, her exhaustion palpable.
Marceline’s ordeal paints an equally grim picture. “This heat is unbearable! We’re trapped with no other option but to wait. I tried using Airtel Money as usual, but nothing works. The error message I received was in English—a cruel irony, as if the system itself has lost its way,” she fumed, her frustration directed at the crumbling digital infrastructure.
The incident has once again exposed the fragility of Libreville’s digital payment and energy systems. In an era where mobile payments and smart meters dominate, a single technical glitch can paralyze an entire city, forcing residents back to outdated payment methods and helpless waiting.
As evening falls over Libreville, all eyes are on SEEG’s servers. Hope for a swift resolution lingers, but for many, the bitterness of yet another unreliable service remains. The promise of dependable electricity has once more collided with the harsh reality of a system that buckles under the slightest pressure.
