The Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, and the National Union of Electricity Employees have firmly rejected the proposed Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks to ban industrial actions by workers in the power sector.
The proposed amendment, currently before the National Assembly, would classify electricity generation, transmission, and distribution as essential services, effectively prohibiting strikes, picketing, or any industrial action that could disrupt power supply, unless under a formally negotiated Minimum Service Agreement. Violations would attract fines of up to N2 million or a five-year prison term, or both.
The Federal Government has argued that the move aims to stabilise the country’s electricity sector and prevent blackouts caused by strikes. However, labour leaders say the bill infringes on fundamental workers’ rights and contravenes international conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory.
President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, described the proposal as “unrealistic,” warning that it would be resisted if passed. “The day it’s passed is the day it will be violated,” Ajaero said, adding that the amendment violates ILO Conventions 87 and 98, which protect the right to organise and undertake collective bargaining.
He criticised the National Assembly for overreaching its mandate, noting that the Electricity Act is a sectoral law and cannot override the Trade Union Act, which already provides structured guidelines for industrial actions in essential sectors.
“Banning workers from acting entirely is akin to beating a child and telling them not to cry. It’s unrealistic and unjust. Workers cannot remain silent if their wages are withheld or conditions worsen,” Ajaero added.
The TUC, through its Secretary-General, Nuhu Toro, also condemned the bill, describing it as unconstitutional and a violation of democratic principles. “The right to strike is a core component of collective bargaining, and Nigeria is a signatory to international treaties that protect this right,” Toro said, urging the National Assembly to withdraw the bill.
Similarly, the Secretary-General of the National Union of Electricity Employees, Dominic Igwebike, said the proposed amendment was aimed at “crippling trade unions in Nigeria,” warning that it was an assault on workers’ dignity and freedom. He added that the union would resist the amendment by engaging lawmakers, mobilising public opinion, and proposing alternatives that protect workers’ rights.
As debate over the bill continues, labour leaders have vowed to challenge the proposed restrictions, stressing that addressing the root causes of unrest—such as poor working conditions and delayed wages—remains the only sustainable solution to stability in Nigeria’s electricity sector.
