Electricity Workers Call For Review Of Power Sector Privatisation

The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has blamed Nigeria’s persistent power shortages on the failure of the country’s privatised electricity system, urging the federal government to review the entire process to address worsening supply challenges.

Acting general-secretary of NUEE, Dominic Igwebike, made the remarks in an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP, where he dismissed claims that the current electricity shortages are linked to global geopolitical tensions.

The labour leader noted that Nigeria has continued to experience erratic electricity supply despite successive tariff increases and reforms in the power sector despite the sector privatisation between 2012 and 2013 with expectations that private investors would improve generation, transmission and distribution capacity.

Igwebike said more than a decade after the handover to private operators, the sector has failed to record meaningful progress, noting that generation capacity and infrastructure remain weak.

He argued that the country’s national grid has continued to suffer operational challenges, while the absence of clear government plans has compounded the crisis.

The labour leader also criticised frequent tariff increases, saying Nigerians are paying more for electricity without corresponding improvements in supply.

He stressed that reliable electricity remains critical for economic development, warning that no country can achieve meaningful industrial growth without stable and affordable power.

Igwebike further called for a comprehensive energy strategy that would include investment in renewable energy sources and improved power infrastructure to meet Nigeria’s growing electricity demand.

He said, “The current epileptic supply shows that the private sector has failed. Since after privatisation in 2012 and 2013, there has been no additional megawatt and there has been no improvement in the sector.

It is not just because of the Iran-U.S. war that is causing the epileptic supply of power. There have been tariff increases, but what has been done earlier to improve the sector? There has been no foreign direct investment and the generation network is poor.

The grid system is not working. That is the truth. The system is not working and there is no clear government plan, whether mid-term, long-term or short-term, to address the challenges.

The only solution now is to go back and review the whole process of privatisation because the system has failed. There are no countries that develop without electricity.”