“NLC Rejects Electricity Tariff Hike, Threatens Nationwide Protest”

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has strongly opposed the Federal Government’s plan to regularize electricity tariffs for consumers in Bands A, B, and C, warning of mass protests if the policy is implemented.

In a communiqué issued on Sunday following its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Yola, Adamawa State, the NLC condemned the proposed tariff adjustment, calling it an unjust move that would impose further hardship on Nigerians.

Labour Rejects “Forced Migration” of Consumers

The union took particular issue with the recent statement by Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, who announced last Thursday that lower-band electricity consumers would be upgraded to Band A. The NLC argued that this “forceful migration” was a disguised means to increase tariffs unfairly.

The communiqué, signed by NLC General Secretary Emmanuel Ugboaja, stated:

“NEC unequivocally rejects the ongoing sham reclassification of electricity consumers by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), which seeks to forcefully migrate consumers from lower bands to Band A under the guise of service improvement while, in reality, imposing unjustified extortion on the masses.”

The labour union described the move as “economic violence” against Nigeria’s working class, accusing the ruling elite of enforcing global capitalist interests at the expense of ordinary citizens.

NLC Warns Against Further Increases

Highlighting the economic difficulties faced by Nigerians—including soaring inflation, stagnant wages, and rising living costs—the NLC warned that any further increase in electricity tariffs would be met with mass resistance.

“The Congress resolves to immediately mobilize for a nationwide protest should the Ministry of Power and NERC proceed with their exploitative plan to further hike electricity tariffs under any guise,” the statement read.

The union also accused the government of repeatedly transferring the burden of fiscal mismanagement onto struggling Nigerians through excessive taxation and arbitrary price hikes.

Nigeria’s Persistent Power Sector Challenges

Despite the privatization of Nigeria’s electricity sector, power supply remains unreliable due to policy inconsistencies, inadequate investments, and operational inefficiencies. In 2024, NERC approved a tariff increase that set the cost of electricity for Band A customers at approximately N250 per unit.

With petrol and diesel prices also skyrocketing, consumers face a worsening energy crisis as alternative power sources become increasingly unaffordable. Meanwhile, some state electricity regulatory commissions have been granted licenses to oversee local power generation and distribution in an effort to decentralize control.

As the debate over electricity tariffs intensifies, the NLC’s stance signals a brewing confrontation between organized labour and the government, with millions of Nigerians anxiously watching how the situation unfolds.