NLC Demands Power Minister’s Resignation Over Grid Failures
Kehinde Fajobi
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has called for the resignation of the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, citing repeated national grid collapses and alleged mismanagement of the power sector.
In a statement issued late Tuesday, NLC President Joe Ajaero criticised the minister’s handling of the electricity sector, describing it as an admission of failure.
Ajaero said, “If the Ministry of Power is manned by competent officials, the now embarrassing constant grid collapse would have been averted instead of the worrying statement by the Minister that this will continue as if this has always been the norm.
“We believe that this is a clear admission of incapacity and failure by the Ministry, and we wonder why they would not do the honourable thing by resigning.
“It has to be noted that the number of times the National Grid has collapsed under these helmsmen is more than all the previous leaders in the history of our nation combined.
“Rather than the garrulous remarks, Nigerians expect more seriousness in handling their affairs.”
The NLC also criticised the minister over the proposed ₦8 billion allocation in the 2025 budget for sensitising Nigerians on electricity bill payments, describing it as a misplaced priority.
Ajaero argued, “The Power sector in Nigeria is at the brink of collapse as the helmsmen have repeatedly shown gross incompetence. It is a sector where the National Electricity Regulatory Commission, despite the enormous power invested in it by the Electricity Act of 2023, has continuously demonstrated incapacity to regulate or outrightly refused to discharge its responsibilities to electricity consumers in Nigeria.
“Whereas the Minister seeks ₦8bn to educate us, contractors in the Transmission Company of Nigeria who help in delivering capacity are owed over ₦200 billion.
“If not for the intervention of the unions in the sector in December 2024, the procurement committee would have added to this burden by sitting down to award more contracts.”
The NLC accused the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) of failing to protect consumers and engaging in unethical practices.
Ajaero cited a recent incident where NERC allegedly colluded with a distribution company’s board to sack its managing director for exposing malpractice.
“It is unimaginable that NERC, an organization tasked with ensuring transparency and efficiency, would punish a whistleblower instead of rewarding and protecting them. This is a clear indication that NERC is not prepared to discharge its mandate,” he said.
The NLC warned against using the national budget as a vehicle for wasteful expenditure and called for urgent reforms in the power sector.
“We will not stand idly by while public funds are wasted in the name of governance. Our position is clear: incompetence must not be rewarded, and those responsible must be held accountable,” Ajaero stated.
The union pledged to monitor developments and urged the federal government to take immediate action to avert a total collapse of the electricity sector.