Organised labour in Nigeria—led by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC)—has issued a strong warning to the federal government over the proposed electricity tariff hike.
Union leaders insist that the planned adjustments strain Nigeria’s working-class and undermine already fragile incomes.
The unions rejected the regulator’s move to reclassify lower‑band consumers into the higher‑cost Band A category, calling it a forced and unjust hike cloaked in service improvements. They describe the policy as “economic violence”—imposing sharp increases despite persistent power outages. Workers in the power sector argue that Nigerians shouldn’t be paying more for unreliable service.
Union directives now place members and allies nationwide on high alert, with threats of decisive mass protests if the government proceeds. Historically, labour organised peaceful shutdowns and picketing of power sector agencies to resist similar hikes that once raised Band A rates from 66 to over 200 naira per kilowatt‑hour—prompting regulator rollback.
Labour leaders argue that tariff hikes without investment in infrastructure, efficiency, or proper oversight represent a failure of policy. Their demands include reversing the tariff increases, halting the reclassification exercise, ensuring transparent governance in power distribution, expanding renewable and off‑grid energy solutions, and upholding affordable electricity as a right.
