A trending video has captured the painful reality of life in Nigeria as citizens resort to ancient “sand and water” methods to cool their drinks because of the persistent lack of electricity.…....
In the viral clip making rounds on social media, people are seen digging holes in the ground, pouring water and sand over bottles of drinks, soft drinks, and even water sachets to keep them cool. With no refrigerators working due to months of terrible power supply, many households have returned to this primitive cooling technique used by their grandparents.
Viewers watched in disbelief as the method was explained: wet sand helps create a cooling effect through evaporation, lowering the temperature of the drinks inside. While it may work to some extent, the video has left many Nigerians heartbroken and angry.
“This is how we are living in 2026,” one commentator wrote. “No light, no generator fuel, no ice block, now we are back to sand. Nigeria has gone backwards!”
The video comes amid worsening electricity crisis across the country. Many areas receive less than 4-6 hours of power daily, making fridges useless and forcing people to spend heavily on fuel for generators or simply do without basic comfort.
From Lagos to Abuja, Kano to Port Harcourt, the story is the same. Market women, roadside sellers, and households are adopting the sand-water method to keep drinks sellable and somewhat refreshing for customers.
The trending video has sparked massive debate online:
Some are laughing and calling it “Nigerian innovation”
Others see it as a national embarrassment and failure of leadership
Many are using the opportunity to drag the government and electricity companies
What do you think about this sand and water cooling method? Have you tried it? Drop your comments below.
