Blackout looms as Nigerian electricity workers begin strike

The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has directed its members chapter of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to withdraw their services with immediate effect.

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The NUEE, in a notice signed by its acting general secretary, Dominic Igwebike, on Wednesday, said the decision follows the expiration of the union’s ultimatum to TCN management over various staff welfare and operational issues that remain unresolved.

The NUEE outlined its demands to include non-implementation of national minimum wage, casualisation of workers, non-provision of working tools and materials, non-payment of staff salaries since April 2025, lack of operational vehicles, non provision of PPEs since 2021, issues arising from the unbundling of TCN and non-payment of retirement benefits.

“To all NUEE TCN members, a call to action following the expiration of the Union’s ultimatum to TCN management over some staff welfare and operational issues. It is unfortunate that the TCN management has decided to handle these issues with kid gloves and lack of regards 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 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 to such time that the management is ready to discharge its obligations towards the workforce. This directive takes immediate effect and total compliance,” the statement said.

The NUEE members’ strike could throw the country into darkness, given the workers’ critical roles in electricity distribution in the country.

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Checks on power supply as of 5:30 p.m. Thursday, however, showed that the national grid was still operating normally, with total load allocation to distribution companies at 4,411MW. On the generation side, Engineer Power (601MW), Kainji Hydro (473MW), and Shiroro Hydro (398MW) were the top three contributors.

In April, the Nigerian government took a significant step towards reforming the country’s electricity sector by unbundling the TCN into two entities: the Independent System Operator (ISO) and the Transmission Service Provider (TSP).

READ ALSO: Electricity not luxury, but a right’ – Gov Eno at Akwa Ibom electricity summit

Under the new structure, the TSP will oversee TCN’s physical infrastructure, including transmission towers, power lines, and substations.

When PREMIUM TIMES contacted the TCN General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, she did not respond to calls and a text message as of press time Thursday evening.