The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has escalated its criticism of the country’s chronic electricity crisis, threatening a nationwide industrial action if the federal government fails to address recurring national grid collapses and what it describes as the shortcomings of power sector privatisation.
NLC President Joe Ajaero delivered the warning on February 15, 2026, during the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) Annual Conference of Women and Youth in Abuja. He condemned over a decade of privatisation, arguing it has resulted in widespread blackouts, exploitative practices, and economic hardship rather than reliable and affordable power.
Ajaero highlighted that electricity generation remains stuck between 4,000 and 5,000 megawatts—levels comparable to pre-privatisation figures from the era of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN)—despite an installed capacity of approximately 13,000–13,625 MW. Recent data from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) for January 2026 shows an average of about 4,901 MW available for dispatch, with actual utilisation around 4,421 MWh/h, underscoring ongoing constraints in transmission, gas supply, and infrastructure.
He criticised the classification of consumers into service bands (A, B, and C), describing it as exploitative and burdensome, as households and businesses face higher tariffs without commensurate improvements in supply reliability. Ajaero rejected proposals for multi-trillion-naira subsidies or bailouts to struggling distribution and generation companies, asserting that public funds should not rescue private entities that have failed to invest adequately or deliver results.
The NLC leader called for an immediate comprehensive review of the privatisation model, including a national stakeholders’ summit involving labour unions, manufacturers, industry experts, and other parties to develop a sustainable roadmap for affordable, stable electricity. He emphasised that electricity should be treated as a fundamental right and public service rather than a profit-driven commodity.
The threat comes amid heightened grid instability in early 2026. Nigeria’s national grid experienced partial or full collapses multiple times recently, including incidents on January 23 and January 27, 2026, following a late-2025 collapse on December 29. These events have caused widespread blackouts, disrupting businesses, healthcare, and daily life, and highlighting persistent vulnerabilities such as voltage disturbances, gas supply disruptions, and inadequate maintenance.
The Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC) has echoed concerns about sector liquidity, urging an extension of subsidy frameworks beyond proposed timelines to address deep-rooted financial and operational challenges.
Ajaero’s remarks also tie into broader labour mobilisation, including recent directives for workers in the Federal Capital Territory to prepare for legal and industrial responses to wage-related issues, stressing the need for worker solidarity against exploitative policies.
As Nigeria grapples with these enduring power sector woes, the NLC’s ultimatum adds pressure on authorities to implement meaningful reforms. The coming weeks will test whether dialogue or confrontation prevails in resolving one of the country’s most pressing infrastructural and economic bottlenecks.
