Ayra Starr has spoken about the difficulties she faced growing up in Nigeria due to an unreliable electricity supply.
The music star made the remarks on Thursday during a discussion on equitable energy access at Global Citizen NOW in New York City, where Zain Asher conducted the interview.
She recalled how her grandmother sold tomatoes and pepper, explaining that they often had to rush to sell them before they spoiled because of frequent power outages.
“Every Nigerian child had a problem with electricity, or not having to depend on electricity to do a lot of things like food,” she said.
“My grandma used to sell tomatoes and pepper. Me and my sister will have to sell it quickly because there is no light to save it.”
The Grammy-nominated singer said the experience helped shape her resilience and perspective on life.
“The experience made me who I am today. Because I have to do stuff without the comfort of electricity. I can’t speak for every child in Africa or in Nigeria,” she said.
“But I know the difference that would have made for me if I came back from school and I was able to have AC or even a fan in the heat, and do my assignment and not be in the heat. That would have made a big difference.”