Nigeria may soon face a nationwide blackout as electricity workers under the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) have officially downed tools.
The strike, which began on Wednesday, was announced in a notice signed by NUEE’s Acting General Secretary, Dominic Igwebike. According to the union, the industrial action became necessary following the failure of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to meet long-standing demands despite several ultimatums.
Among the grievances listed are the non-implementation of the national minimum wage, casualisation of workers, non-payment of salaries since April 2025, lack of protective gear, absence of operational vehicles, and unpaid retirement benefits.
The union expressed frustration, accusing TCN management of treating critical welfare issues with “kid gloves” and failing to provide a clear roadmap to address them.
“We cannot continue to fold our arms while our rights are violated and the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) collapses before our eyes. To this end, members are hereby directed to withdraw their services until management is ready to meet its obligations,” the statement read.
This is not the first time electricity workers have taken such action. In June 2024, NUEE also shut down operations, leading to a major disruption in power supply across the country.
As of press time, TCN spokesperson Ndidi Mbah had not responded to enquiries regarding the ongoing strike.
