The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to mobilise workers and citizens for a nationwide protest if the Federal Government proceeds with its proposed electricity tariff hike, describing it as “economic violence against the working class and broader Nigerian populace.”
In a communiqué issued after its National Executive Council meeting in Yola, Adamawa State, the NLC rejected the reclassification of electricity consumers by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), accusing the government of worsening economic hardship under the guise of service improvement.
The congress warned that any attempt to impose additional electricity tariffs would be met with mass resistance, mandating its leadership to begin immediate mobilisation for protests.
The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) also condemned the planned hike, saying Nigerians should not pay more for unreliable power supply. The union criticised the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, for prioritising tariff increases over improving service delivery in the power sector.
NUEE vowed to resist any exploitative tariff hike and warned of disruptions in the sector if the government proceeds with its plans.
The proposed tariff hike seeks to align electricity rates for customers in Bands B and C with the N206/KWh rate paid by Band A consumers. However, the plan has faced widespread opposition from power consumers and the Organised Private Sector, who argue that it would worsen the country’s economic challenges.
