The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected the proposed N6 trillion bailout for Nigeria’s electricity sector, warning that repeated financial interventions have failed to improve power supply across the country.
The position was made known by NLC President Joe Ajaero in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja.
The labour body argued that continued bailouts have not translated into reliable electricity for Nigerians, insisting that deeper structural reforms, not more funding, are needed to fix the sector.
Ajaero said the proposed bailout reflects deeper systemic problems in the power sector, stressing that public funds cannot continue to sustain inefficiencies.
He further criticised the current framework, noting that Nigerians continue to suffer high tariffs and poor service despite ongoing interventions. He called for a halt to the bailout and urged the government to prioritise reforms that serve public interest rather than private profit.
Ajaero also proposed structural changes, including merging the Ministries of Power and Petroleum into a unified energy ministry to improve coordination, particularly in gas supply for electricity generation.
He added that electricity should be treated as a social service rather than a profit-driven commodity, urging the government to convene a stakeholders’ summit to develop a people-focused roadmap for the sector.
Nigeria’s electricity crisis continues to weigh heavily on households and businesses, with unreliable supply forcing many to depend on costly alternatives such as diesel and petrol generators.
This shortfall has left a significant gap in power availability across the country.
This liquidity crisis has made it difficult for operators to maintain turbines, procure spare parts, and secure gas supplies.
Over the past two years, the Federal Government has rolled out several large-scale financial interventions aimed at stabilising Nigeria’s electricity sector, yet supply has remained inconsistent.
Despite these interventions, the sector continues to struggle with reliability issues.
Nigeria experienced multiple national grid collapses in 2025, with at least two recorded in early 2026, underscoring the fragility of the transmission network.
The NLC’s stance adds to growing concerns that, without structural reforms, continued financial injections may do little to resolve the sector’s longstanding inefficiencies.