By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected the proposed N6 trillion bailout for power generation companies, arguing that repeated financial interventions have failed to translate into improved electricity supply for Nigerians.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, NLC President Joe Ajaero described the proposed bailout as a symptom of deep-rooted structural failures within the power sector. He warned against deploying further public funds to sustain what he called a “fundamentally flawed system.”
“We cannot continue to deploy public funds to sustain a fundamentally flawed system, while ordinary citizens bear the burden of inefficiency through high tariffs and persistent outages,” Ajaero said.
To address what he described as systemic inefficiencies, Ajaero called on the Federal Government to merge the Ministries of Petroleum and Power into a unified Ministry of Energy. According to him, the current separation of the sectors has created coordination gaps, particularly in gas supply for thermal power generation. An integrated energy framework, he noted, would help prioritize domestic electricity needs and support national development.
The NLC president also urged the government to halt the proposed bailout, insisting that public funds should not be used to prop up failed private investments. He reiterated the congress’s position that electricity should be treated as a social service and a fundamental right, not a profit-driven commodity, if Nigeria is to achieve affordable and reliable power supply.
“The current framework places undue burden on citizens, and reform must prioritise service delivery, public interest and the overall welfare of Nigerian workers,” Ajaero added.
He further called on the government to convene a stakeholders’ summit aimed at developing a people-centered roadmap for the power sector.
