The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for an immediate and comprehensive review of the country’s electricity sector, citing persistent inefficiencies and lack of progress more than a decade after privatisation.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, made the call at the annual conference of the women and youth wing of the National Union of Electricity Employees held in Abuja.
Ajaero expressed concern that electricity generation has remained stagnant between 4,000 and 5,000 megawatts since the sector was privatised in 2013 under former President Goodluck Jonathan. He described the situation as unacceptable and indicative of systemic failure.
He criticised the privatisation process, stating that it had failed to deliver the promised improvements in power supply. According to him, the reform has instead deepened energy poverty, with frequent national grid collapses and ongoing operational challenges across the sector.
Ajaero also alleged that many of the companies that acquired power assets lacked the technical and financial capacity to manage them effectively. He claimed that some investors relied heavily on loans from local banks to finance the acquisitions, placing additional pressure on the economy and contributing to rising electricity tariffs.
The NLC president further noted that persistent grid instability and operational inefficiencies, including load rejection by distribution companies from the Transmission Company of Nigeria, have continued to undermine reliable electricity supply.
He emphasised the need for urgent government intervention to address the sector’s challenges, restore efficiency, and ensure reliable and affordable electricity for Nigerians.
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