Di Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) don threaten say dem go mobilize workers and citizens for nationwide protest if Federal Government go ahead increase electricity tariff. Dem call di move “economic aggression” against workers and di general public. Di National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) still join voice, warn government say make dem no increase tariff because Nigerians no suppose dey pay for light wey no even dey steady.
After dem hold National Executive Council meeting for Yola, Adamawa State, on February 28, 2025, di NLC release statement on Sunday reject di “deceptive reclassification” wey Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) do. Dem accuse di Ministry of Power and NERC say dem dey push consumers enter higher tariff category under di disguise of better service, but na just to add more economic wahala for people head. Di statement blast di government say dem dey behave like agents of global capitalism, wey just wan make Nigerians suffer with continuous tariff increase, heavy tax, and more economic pressure.
NLC leaders don talk say if government increase electricity tariff, dem go face strong resistance. Di union don order dem National Administrative Council make dem start dey mobilize for protest, warn government say make dem no push Nigerians reach di wall. NLC still raise alarm about di recent 35% increase for telecommunications tariff, wey dem later reduce from di original 50% after government negotiation. But di union talk say dem no too trust government, and if government no follow di agreement wey go start March 1, 2025, dem go take action to make sure say government obey di deal.
NLC yarn say Nigerian workers no go suffer because of government and private company wahala. Power sector workers still support dis position, as dem reject di consumer reclassification, talk say na way to collect more money from people without better service. NUEE talk say dem go resist any plan to increase tariff, even hint say dem fit take action wey go affect di power sector if government no hear word.
Di union dey react to wetin Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, talk say government wan standardize di tariff for Bands A, B, and C to correct billing issues and bring in more investors. But NUEE challenge am, say e dey do work wey suppose be NERC responsibility. Acting General Secretary, Dominic Igwebike, talk say di union go stand gidigba against dis move, and say di minister claim say tariff increase go help di power sector na just talk.
NUEE still remind people say for 2024, NERC talk say dem increase tariff only for Band A customers—15% of di users wey dey consume 40% of di electricity—so e no go affect di general public. But di union argue say di increase go still affect everybody indirectly, because Band A customers go pass di extra cost go meet consumers, wey go make things costlier for Nigerians wey already dey struggle. Dem advise di minister make e focus on how to improve power sector efficiency instead of dey increase tariff.
Reports talk say Adelabu proposal na to make Band B and C tariff dey same with Band A wey be N206/KWh rate. But dis move don cause serious backlash from power consumers and di Organised Private Sector, wey dey question why government just dey increase price for everything at di same time.
