NLC demands power sector audit after nationwide grid collapse

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has urged the federal government to conduct a thorough audit of power sector infrastructure and reassess the current privatisation framework.

In response to the recent national grid collapse that left much of the country in darkness, the labour union also urged the government to halt the use of public funds to subsidize privatised electricity companies.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, urged the government to channel the trillions already spent on the sector into public-driven investments in power generation and transmission infrastructure.

His words: “Since the government has N4 trillion to invest in the sector, we suggest that the funds must be redirected towards a public-led initiative to build new generation capacity and revitalise the transmission infrastructure instead of handing it over to the generation companies (Gencos) and distribution companies (Discos).

“This is not a plea; it is a declaration of intent. The light must come on, by any means necessary.

“Once again, we call for a comprehensive public audit of the entire power sector.

“We call for a fundamental review of the privatisation model itself, with a view to reviving this critical sector. This has become an imperative.”

The NLC said Nigerians will no longer tolerate “man-made” blackouts or accept excuses for what it described as a “deliberate failure” by the government.

On Wednesday, the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) reported that the grid went down at 11:20 a.m. after a generating company tripped, setting off a chain reaction across other facilities.

At the onset of the collapse, Ibadan Disco was left with just 20MW.

However, by 8:21 p.m., supply had risen to 1,583MW, with Abuja Disco allocated 243MW, Ikeja 239MW, and Eko 204MW.

NISO stated that restoration efforts commenced at 11:45 a.m. with supply from the Shiroro power plant, noting that a full investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Earlier, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Ikeja Electric, and Kano Disco had notified their customers of extensive outages across their networks.

Kano Disco appealed to customers to be patient as restoration progresses and urged them to protect power installations against vandals during the blackout.