The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has condemned the federal government’s decision to allocate ₦8 billion in the 2025 budget for an awareness campaign on electricity bill payments.
In a statement on Tuesday, NLC President Comrade Joe Ajaero described the allocation as “absurd,” urging authorities to redirect the funds toward resolving the sector’s deep-rooted issues.
The Federal Ministry of Power proposed the initiative to encourage timely bill payments, combat power theft, and protect power infrastructure. Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu, during his budget defense at the National Assembly, said the campaign would leverage social, digital, and print media to reach Nigeria’s 200 million citizens.
Adelabu emphasized the need to reorient Nigerians, many of whom, he claimed, still perceive electricity as a free resource, contributing to inefficiencies in the sector.
However, Ajaero dismissed the initiative, accusing the Ministry of prioritizing wasteful projects over critical reforms. “The Nigerian power sector is on the brink of collapse, plagued by corruption and inefficiency. This ₦8 billion campaign is a distraction from the urgent issues requiring attention,” he stated.
The NLC leader highlighted systemic failures, including ₦200 billion in debt owed to contractors by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and recurring grid collapses. He criticized the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) for failing to enforce transparency and accountability within electricity distribution companies (DISCOs).
Ajaero further alleged that whistleblowers exposing misconduct in DISCOs face silencing attempts by NERC, exacerbating public distrust in the sector.
He called for competent leadership and effective reforms to salvage the electricity sector, warning that mismanagement of public funds would worsen Nigeria’s economic challenges.
The NLC vowed to monitor the situation closely and take necessary actions to prevent further misuse of public resources.
This criticism underscores the ongoing challenges in Nigeria’s power sector and the urgent need for sustainable solutions over superficial campaigns.
