NLC Calls for Comprehensive Audit of Power Sector Following Nationwide Grid Collapse

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the federal government to conduct a comprehensive audit of the country’s power sector infrastructure and re-evaluate the current privatisation model.

This follows the recent national grid collapse that plunged large parts of the country into darkness. In response, the NLC also urged the government to stop using public funds to subsidize private electricity companies.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, emphasized the need for public-driven investments in power generation and transmission rather than continued support for the existing privatised entities.

“If the government can allocate N4 trillion to the power sector, then those funds should be redirected to public-led initiatives aimed at building new generation capacity and revitalizing transmission infrastructure,” Ajaero said. “This is not a request — it’s a declaration. The lights must come on, by any means necessary.”

The NLC reiterated its demand for a full public audit of the power sector and called for a complete overhaul of the privatisation policy, describing it as essential to reviving this critical infrastructure.

The union warned that Nigerians are losing patience with recurrent blackouts and what it described as a “deliberate failure” by the government and stakeholders in the electricity industry.

The grid collapse occurred at 11:20 a.m. on Wednesday, according to the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO), after a generating plant tripped, triggering a cascade of failures across the network.

At the height of the outage, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) was operating with just 20MW. By 8:21 p.m., power supply had improved to 1,583MW, with Abuja Disco receiving 243MW, Ikeja 239MW, and Eko 204MW.

NISO confirmed that restoration efforts began around 11:45 a.m. using supply from the Shiroro power station and stated that a full investigation into the cause of the collapse is ongoing.

Meanwhile, electricity distribution companies including Abuja Electric, Ikeja Electric, and Kano Disco informed customers of widespread outages across their service areas. Kano Disco also appealed to the public to remain patient and to help protect power infrastructure from vandalism during the blackout.