Imagine waking up one Sunday morning and realizing you’ve ‘lost’ an hour. Your clock says 8am, but your body feels it’s still 7am. Welcome to the world of Daylight Saving Time — a clock trick that’s confused generations and, for the most part, skipped over Africa.
What Exactly Is Daylight Saving Time?
Daylight Saving Time (DST) is a system where people move their clocks forward by one hour during warmer months — usually in spring — and then move it back in autumn. The idea? To make better use of daylight during the evenings.
So instead of the sun setting at 6:00pm, it sets at 7:00pm. That “extra hour” of sunlight means less use of electricity, or so the original thinkers believed.
Where Did This Idea Come From?
It all began during World War I, when Germany first introduced DST to conserve energy. The logic was simple: more sunlight in the evening meant less use of lamps and heaters. It came back during World War II, and again during the oil crisis of the 1970s.
Since then, countries in Europe and North America have been doing this time dance twice a year — forward in March, backward in October.
But here’s the thing: the world has changed.
Why Is DST Controversial Today?
For something meant to save energy, there’s no clear proof anymore that it actually does.
In fact, many people argue that DST does more harm than good:
It disrupts sleep patterns.
It messes with mental and physical health.
It throws off schedules for workers, students, and businesses.
It doesn’t really save energy in today’s world of air conditioners, gadgets, and 24/7 lights.
In 2018, 4 million Europeans voted to scrap it. The EU Parliament backed the motion, but politics — as usual — slowed the process.
Some countries like Russia, Turkey, Iran, and Uruguay have already abandoned the system completely.
Even Egypt cancelled DST in 2014, only to bring it back in 2023 due to energy concerns. But that decision still doesn’t sit well with many Egyptians.
What About Africa?
Here’s where things get interesting.
Most African countries, including Nigeria, have never used DST — and for good reason.
Why?
Because Africa lies near the equator, where day and night are almost equal all year round. Sunrise and sunset times barely change. So there’s no need to “save” daylight — nature already balanced it.
Countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa don’t have to tamper with time to enjoy sunshine. The sun rises and sets like clockwork. No need for confusion.
So, What’s the Way Forward?
In a world facing climate change, rising energy costs, and mental health concerns, the solution isn’t to keep twisting time. Instead:
Europe and the Americas need to seriously consider ditching DST and modernizing their energy-saving strategies.
Africa should stay out of it. No need to import unnecessary confusion.
Global focus should shift to real solutions: solar energy, efficient appliances, better urban planning, and smarter lifestyles.
DST might have been a good idea a hundred years ago. But in today’s world, it’s an old clock trick that has outlived its usefulness.
Final Thought:
Africa didn’t miss out on Daylight Saving Time. Africa dodged a bullet.
Let’s focus on what really matters — creating systems that work with nature, not against it.
Because at the end of the day, no amount of clock-shifting can save the time we waste on outdated ideas.
