Regina Otokpa 
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has strongly criticized Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, for his recent claim that 150 million Nigerians currently enjoy adequate electricity with a generation capacity of 5,500 megawatts.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, in a sharply worded statement on Tuesday, condemned the Minister’s assertion as “outrageous and misleading,” accusing the government of turning a national crisis into a public relations charade.
“Perhaps the Minister wants to perform Jesus’ miracle of feeding 5,000 people with five loaves and two fishes,” Ajaero remarked.
“For the Minister to suggest that over 150 million Nigerians have access to reliable power in a country that struggles to generate an inconsistent 5,000MW is not only pretentious but an insult to the intelligence of Nigerians.”
Citing international standards, Ajaero pointed out that Nigeria, with a population exceeding 200 million, should be generating at least 150,000MW to meet global benchmarks of electricity supply.
He noted that the country’s current supply falls drastically short, often dropping below 5,000MW due to persistent grid collapses, transmission failures, and outdated infrastructure.
“The reality is that millions of Nigerians—especially in rural and peri-urban communities—remain in total darkness.
“Those who do have access are plagued by blackouts, disconnections, and ever-increasing electricity tariffs,” he added.
Ajaero also criticized the recent electricity tariff hike disguised under the new “Band A, B, and C” classification system, calling it a veiled attempt to legitimize exploitation in the sector.
According to the NLC, despite consumers paying over N700 billion to Distribution Companies (DISCOs), service delivery remains abysmal.
The NLC President attributed the power sector’s lingering inefficiencies to what he described as a “grand betrayal” rooted in the 2013 privatization of Nigeria’s electricity assets, which he claimed handed the nation’s infrastructure to cronies for just N400 billion.
More than a decade later, he argued, the sector has seen no significant capacity expansion or infrastructure renewal, despite trillions of naira in public subsidies.
“It is disheartening that the same private companies—GenCos and DISCOs—that have failed the nation are now in line to receive over N4 trillion in public support, yet remain unaccountable,” he said.
Ajaero also expressed concern over reported plans to privatize the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the only remaining public utility in the power value chain.
“This is not reform—it is organized profiteering masked as governance. Selling off TCN is an economic ruse to hand over the last public asset to political allies at the expense of the masses,” he warned.
He further called out systemic exploitation within the sector, noting that while top officials at the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and private sector operators enjoy financial windfalls, power sector workers remain poorly paid and overworked.
In conclusion, Ajaero vowed that the NLC would not remain silent while the Nigerian people continue to suffer under failed electricity policies.
“The NLC is prepared to deploy all democratic and lawful means to resist deception, exploitation, and regulatory impunity in the power sector. Nigerians deserve more than propaganda—they deserve light, not lies,” he stated.
