The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has strongly criticized Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu for his claim on April 17 that 150 million Nigerians have access to adequate electricity from a national grid generating 5,500 megawatts (MW). In a statement released on April 22, 2025, NLC President Joe Ajaero dismissed the claim as “outrageous” and “a joke taken too far,” arguing it insulted Nigerians who face frequent power outages, exorbitant tariffs, and an unreliable power supply.
Ajaero pointed out that the claim suggested over 150 million Nigerians had reliable power access in a country that struggles to generate a mere 5,000 MW, which falls far below the global benchmark of 1,000 MW per million people. He stated, “For the minister to suggest that millions of Nigerians have reliable electricity, despite the country’s struggles with electricity generation, is an insult to our intelligence and an insult to our daily reality.”
The NLC also highlighted that, with a population of 240 million, Nigeria would require 240,000 MW to meet global standards, far beyond the unstable 5,500 MW the country currently produces. “By this standard, Nigeria should be generating at least 150,000 MW to justify such a claim. However, even on its best day, Nigeria’s electricity generation has never exceeded 5,500 MW, and that figure remains unreliable,” Ajaero added.
The NLC condemned the 2013 power sector privatization as a “grand betrayal,” noting that the ₦400 billion sale had led to minimal improvements. It also opposed the privatization of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), calling it an “economic ruse dressed in bureaucratic doublespeak.”
The statement further criticized the 2024 tariff increase for Band A, B, and C electricity customers, labeling it a “sophisticated scheme to legalize exploitation” that forces citizens to prioritize food over electricity. Despite these challenges, the NLC praised power sector workers for their continued resilience despite low pay and urged Adelabu to stop misleading Nigerians with false promises. “Stop insulting the intelligence of the people with fabrications and false hope. Nigerians deserve more respect,” Ajaero concluded.
