Power Outage as Electricity Workers Shut Down National Grid Amid NLC Strike

The national grid system has plummeted to zero megawatts following a total halt in power supply to all eleven electricity distribution companies.

According to Ndidi Mbah, the General Manager of Public Affairs at the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), this nationwide blackout was a direct result of the actions of TCN employees, represented by the influential National Union of Electricity Workers (NUEE). They shut down all power substations across the nation at around 2:19 AM on Monday, June 3, leading to the grid system’s complete collapse.

The shutdown comes amid a broader strike by labour unions. After a meeting with the leadership of the National Assembly on Sunday evening, June 2, in Abuja, the leadership of Organised Labour stated that there was no going back on the nationwide industrial action slated to start on Monday. Festus Osifo, President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), said, “For now, we don’t have the power to call off the strike; tomorrow (Monday) morning, the strike will kick off as we take their (NASS) plea asking us to call off the strike to our various organs.”

The Organised Labour has taken this action following a deadlock in negotiations between the Federal Government and labour unions regarding a new national minimum wage and the recent increase in electricity tariffs. The unions argue that the current minimum wage of N30,000 is insufficient for the average Nigerian worker and noted that not all governors are adhering to the existing wage agreement, which expired in April 2024, five years after former President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Minimum Wage Act of 2019. This Act mandates a review every five years to address the current economic needs of workers.

Speaking on efforts to restore power, Mbah highlighted the role of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). At around 3:23 AM, the TCN initiated grid recovery operations by utilising the Shiroro substation to supply electricity to the Katampe Transmission Substation, a crucial step in the process.