Electricity Workers Suspend Strike After FG Intervention
- Nigeria News
- 26.09.2025
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- 47
Electricity Workers Suspend Strike After FG Intervention
A major nationwide blackout was averted on Thursday after electricity workers suspended their strike action just 10 hours into the industrial action. The suspension followed the Federal Government’s intervention in the labour dispute involving the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
The truce was reached at an emergency meeting convened by the Minister of Power, represented by senior officials of the ministry. The meeting was attended by officials of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, management of TCN, the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO), the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), and the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC).
The strike had initially raised widespread fears of a prolonged blackout across the country, threatening businesses and households already grappling with irregular power supply.
According to the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the unions accepted the Minister’s appeal to review the report of a standing committee by October 6–7, 2025, with implementation expected to begin later the same month.
- TCN and NISO will jointly evaluate the financial implications of the committee’s report.
- An implementation plan will be presented to the Minister of Power and the unions.
- Both unions and management will reconvene in another meeting to resolve outstanding issues.
- The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) was directed to expedite its tariff review to enable smooth implementation of the agreement.
- Parties agreed that no employee will be victimised for participating in the strike action.
With these resolutions, the unions officially announced the suspension of their strike, allowing the agreements to take effect.
Labour leaders described the outcome as a “measured victory” while warning that they would not hesitate to resume industrial action should the government or TCN renege on the pact. The resolution has calmed rising anxiety across Nigeria, where fears of a prolonged blackout had already gripped homes and businesses.
NUEE had on Wednesday begun an indefinite strike, accusing TCN of neglecting staff welfare and critical operational concerns. In a circular dated September 24, 2025, NUEE’s Acting General Secretary, Dominic Igwebike, said the union could no longer stand idle while members’ rights were violated and the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) continued to deteriorate.
The workers’ grievances included several unresolved issues that had persisted for months:
- Non-implementation of the new national minimum wage.
- Casualisation of staff and poor welfare conditions.
- Non-payment of salaries since April 2025.
- Lack of operational tools and vehicles.
- Failure to provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) since 2021.
- Unresolved issues from the unbundling of TCN.
- Non-payment of retirement benefits.
NUEE stated: “It is regrettable that TCN management has chosen to treat these critical issues with levity and utter disregard for its hardworking staff. We cannot continue to fold our arms while our rights are trampled upon and the electricity sector deteriorates.”
Following Thursday’s agreement, electricity workers have suspended their strike but warned they would resume industrial action if the government or TCN fails to meet its obligations. The development underscores the fragile state of Nigeria’s power sector, which continues to face challenges despite years of privatisation and government interventions.
