NLC Faults Power Minister’s Claim On 150m Electricity Users

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has criticised the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu over his recent claim that 150 million Nigerians now enjoy adequate electricity supply through the current output of 5,500 megawatts.

NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, in a statement on Wednesday, described the statement as “a bad joke” and “an insult” to Nigerians who continue to suffer from chronic power shortages.

LEADERSHIP recalls that the minister had during the 2025 ministerial sectoral briefing stated that approximately 150 million Nigerians now have access to adequate electricity.

Responding to the claim, Ajaero pointed out that Nigeria’s current output is woefully inadequate when compared to global standards, which recommend at least 1,000MW per one million people.

The labour leader also questioned the whereabouts of the infrastructure necessary to support such claims.

Ajaero further criticised the 2013 power sector privatisation, which it described as a “grand betrayal” that has failed to deliver meaningful improvement despite over N4 trillion in public subsidies.

He also condemned the recent electricity tariff hikes under the “Band A, B, and C” structure, calling them a “sophisticated scheme to legalise exploitation.”

The labour leader further accused the government of pushing forward with the planned privatisation of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), calling it “an economic ruse” aimed at enriching the elite while ordinary Nigerians suffer.

“This wild assertion is not only pretentious, it is a bad joke on a people daily confronted by grinding darkness, outrageous electricity tariffs, and a power sector manipulated for private profit at the expense of national progress”.

“Where are the power plants that make this level of supply possible? Where is the upgraded transmission infrastructure to support such output? Why are our homes still shrouded in darkness and our factories shutting down daily?

“Our final word to the Minister of Power; Nigerians are tired of propaganda and statistical gymnastics. Cease from insulting the intelligence of the people with fabrications and false hope,” Ajaero said.

He maintained that Nigerians deserve more respect, stressing, “If you generate, transmit and distribute more power, we will see it in our homes and factories; not on the pages of newspaper and on television.”

The labour leader assured that the union will not fold its arms while Nigerians are exploited by those he described as economic fat cats.

“We are prepared to deploy all democratic and lawful means to continue to expose and resist all grand deception targeted at the Nigerian masses. We will continue in our quest to restore equity and reclaim the power sector for the Nigerian people”, he added.