Nigerian Labour Congress Demands Resignation of Power Minister

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has demanded the resignation of the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and other officials in the Ministry of Power over the persistent collapse of the national power grid. NLC President Joe Ajaero expressed deep concern about the worsening state of Nigeria’s electricity sector, describing it as being on the "brink of total collapse" due to gross incompetence.

Ajaero criticized Adelabu's response to the grid failures, stating, “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.” He added, “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."

The NLC highlighted that under Adelabu’s leadership, grid collapses have occurred more frequently than under all previous administrations combined. Ajaero remarked, “Rather than the garrulous remarks, Nigerians expect more seriousness in handling their affairs."

The union also condemned a proposed ₦8 billion allocation in the 2025 budget for "sensitization of Nigerians on how to pay electricity bills." Ajaero called it a "ludicrous proposal" and a waste of national resources, saying, “Proposing to allocate a whopping N8 billion to ‘sensitize’ Nigerians who are already burdened with exorbitant electricity tariffs reeks of arrogance, insensitivity and an utter disregard for accountability." He further noted that contractors in the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) are owed over ₦200 billion, which has hindered critical infrastructure development.

Additionally, Ajaero criticized the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) for failing to fulfill its regulatory responsibilities. He accused NERC of colluding with private entities and punishing whistleblowers who exposed unethical practices. “It is unimaginable that NERC...would punish a whistleblower instead of rewarding and protecting them,” he said.

The NLC warned against prioritizing frivolous expenditures over urgent reforms in the power sector and called on the federal government to take immediate action to avert total collapse. Ajaero concluded, “Our position is clear: incompetence must not be rewarded, and those responsible must be held accountable."