The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed concern over the persistent crisis in the power sector.
It described the development as a burden on workers, manufacturers, and the public.
In a statement yesterday, NLC President Joe Ajaero accused operators in the electricity value chain, particularly distribution (DisCos) and generation (GenCos) companies, of benefiting from subsidies and tariff increases while citizens “pay for darkness”.
He added: “The nation’s power sector has become a perpetual millstone around the necks of Nigerian workers while crony-capitalist allies in the DISCOs and GENCOs continue to feast on the commonwealth.”
The union rejected the proposed N6 trillion bailout for GenCos, describing it as a temporary fix to a flawed system.
“We cannot continue to apply bandages to a system that is fundamentally fractured,” it said.
The umbrella labour union called for the merger of the ministries of Power with that of the Petroleum Resources into a single Ministry of Energy.
It argued that their separation contributes to inefficiencies, particularly in gas supply for thermal power generation.
“For too long, these two critical ministries have operated in silos while the productive base of our economy collapses. Under a single ministry, there would be one minister accountable to the Nigerian people. This would end the era of blame between power and petroleum authorities,” it said.
The NLC also accused the petroleum sector of prioritising exports over domestic energy needs.
“Gas is treated as a commodity for export to fetch foreign exchange for the elite, while the power sector struggles to keep the lights on,” it said.
The labour union sought a review of the electricity tariff regime, calling for pricing tied to service delivery rather than cost-reflective tariffs.
“Nigerians should not be forced to pay for inefficiency and greed. Electricity must be priced based on service, not imposed costs,” it added.
Reiterating its opposition to the privatisation of the power sector, the NLC said the 2013 reform had failed to deliver expected results. It urged the Federal Government to halt the proposed bailout, begin the process of merging the two ministries and convene a national stakeholders’ summit to develop a people-focused roadmap for the sector.
“The private sector cannot and will not solve Nigeria’s power crisis. Their model is built on extracting maximum tariffs while providing minimum service. Electricity is a social service and a fundamental right, not a luxury commodity,” the NLC said.
It warned that continued inefficiencies in the sector could further weaken the economy.
