By Onyeanya Ebere Immaculata
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has threatened a nationwide strike over repeated national grid collapses and what it described as unfair electricity pricing policies, warning it will resist further tariff increases without improved supply.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, gave the warning on Sunday in Abuja at the annual women and youth conference organised by the National Union of Electricity Employees.
He said more than a decade after privatisation, the power sector has delivered “darkness, exploitation and economic pain.”
Ajaero condemned the classification of consumers into Bands A, B and C, describing it as “institutionalised extortion” and a backdoor tariff hike.
He said Band A customers, despite paying higher rates for improved supply, still suffer erratic electricity.
He noted that over 10 years after privatisation, power generation remains between 4,000 and 5,000 megawatts, almost unchanged from pre-privatisation levels.
He also blamed frequent grid collapses and load rejections for showing the reforms have failed.
Ajaero opposed reports of a planned bailout for generation companies and called for a full review of the sector, including a national stakeholders’ summit to develop a roadmap for affordable and stable electricity.
