The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the Federal Government to halt the proposed N6 trillion bailout for power generation companies and instead undertake a sweeping restructuring of the nation’s energy sector.
The labour union called for the immediate merger of the petroleum and power ministries into a single Ministry of Energy to address the persistent electricity crisis.
In a statement, NLC President Joe Ajaero said the unified ministry would end what he described as “compartmentalised fiefdoms” within the energy sector and ensure stronger accountability.
According to him, the move is necessary to assert national control over Nigeria’s energy resources and tackle the long-standing stagnation in electricity supply affecting workers, businesses and households.
Ajaero criticised the continued reliance on bailouts for Generation Companies (GenCos) and Distribution Companies (DisCos), accusing sector operators and their allies of benefiting from subsidy claims and tariff hikes while ordinary Nigerians endure persistent power outages.
He argued that the proposed bailout reflects deeper structural problems in the sector rather than a genuine solution.
The NLC leader also blamed Nigeria’s heavy dependence on gas-fired power plants for the crisis, noting that gas supply shortages have repeatedly crippled electricity generation.
He alleged that the petroleum sector prioritises gas exports and profits for international oil companies, while the power sector struggles to secure sufficient feedstock to keep the national grid running.
Meanwhile, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, described the country’s persistent power outages as a major setback to ongoing reforms in the electricity sector.
He urged President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene to ease the growing hardship faced by Nigerians.