Workers’ Strike Puts Nigeria at Risk of Nationwide Power Outage

Nigerians could experience new power outages due to an indefinite strike initiated by the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) on Wednesday. The strike stems from unresolved welfare issues, including the failure to implement the national minimum wage and the alleged casualization of workers.

The industrial action was announced in a notice signed by NUEE’s Acting General Secretary, Dominic Igwebike, who said the strike followed the expiration of the union’s ultimatum to the management of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

“It is unfortunate that the TCN management has decided to handle these issues with kid gloves and a lack of regard for the hard-working staff of TCN. This, they have displayed without any defined roadmap to addressing them,” the union stated.

NUEE insisted that the strike was necessary to protect workers’ rights and salvage the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) from total collapse.

“We cannot continue to fold our arms while we watch our rights being vehemently violated and the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) going down the drain. To this end, the union is compelled to withdraw its services,” Igwebike said.

The union directed all its members nationwide to stop work immediately until management is ready to address their grievances.

This is not the first time electricity workers have shut down operations over welfare concerns. In June 2024, NUEE embarked on a similar strike, which disrupted electricity supply across the country.

Full text of the NUEE strike notice:

“A CALL TO ACTION

“Following the expiration of the Union’s ultimatum to TCN Management over some staff welfare and operational issues, which include:

“1. Non-implementation of National Minimum Wage

“2. Casualisation of Workers

“3. Non-provision of working tools and materials

“4. Non-payment of staff salaries since April 2025

“5. Lack of Operational Vehicles

“6. Non-provision of PPEs since 2021

“7. Issues arising from the unbundling of TCN

“8. Non-payment of retirement benefits

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“It is unfortunate that the TCN Management has decided to handle these issues with kid gloves and a lack of regard for the hard-working staff of TCN. This, they have displayed without any defined road map(s) to addressing them.

“We cannot continue to fold our arms while we watch our rights being vehemently violated and the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) going down the drain. To this end, the Union is compelled to withdraw its services.

“Members are hereby directed to withdraw services until such time that the management is ready to discharge its obligations towards the workforce.

“This directive takes immediate effect and requires total compliance.”