Nationwide Blackout As Electricity Workers Shut Down Operations

The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has directed its members across the country to withdraw their services following the expiration of its ultimatum to the management of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

In a statement signed by the acting General Secretary of the union Comrade Igu Dominic Igwebike, dated September 24, the union accused TCN management of neglecting critical welfare and operational concerns despite repeated demands and negotiations.

In the statement titled ” A Call To Action”, the union listed eight grounds upon which its industrial action was premised.

The grounds include the non-implementation of the national minimum wage, casualisation of workers, non-provision of tools and protective equipment since 2021, non-payment of staff salaries since April 2025, and failure to provide operational vehicles.

The union also cited unresolved matters arising from the unbundling of TCN and the non-payment of retirement benefits.

The NUEE said the decision to withdraw services was taken after it became clear that TCN had no roadmap to address the concerns, adding that the directive takes immediate effect.

The union maintained that its action would continue until the management of TCN shows a genuine commitment to resolving the workers’ grievances.

The statement reads partly, “Following the expiration of the Union’s ultimatum to TCN Management over some staff welfare and operational issues which include:

“Non-implementation of National Minimum Wage; Casualisation of Workers;
Non-provision of working tools and materials; Non-payment of staff salaries since April 2025; Lack of Operational Vehicles; Non-provision of PPEs since 2021;
Issues arising from the unbundling of TCN; and Non-payment of retirement benefits.

“It is unfortunate that the TCN Management has decided to handle these issues with kid gloves and a lack of regard for the hard-working staff of TCN.

“This, they have displayed without any defined road map(s) to address them.

“We cannot continue to fold our arms while we watch our rights being vehemently violated and the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) going down the drain.

“To this end, the Union is compelled to withdraw its services. Members are hereby directed to withdraw services until such time as the management is ready to discharge its obligations towards the workforce.

“This directive takes immediate effect and total compliance”

However, at the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the TCN management.