The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has strongly condemned the N8 billion allocated in the 2025 federal budget for sensitizing Nigerians on the importance of paying electricity bills, calling the proposal “absurd.” This stance was revealed in a statement signed by the NLC President Joe Ajaero, on Tuesday.
The Federal Ministry of Power had proposed the N8 billion budget to launch a nationwide campaign aimed at educating Nigerians on timely payment of electricity bills. Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, had presented the initiative during his budget defense before the National Assembly on Monday. According to Adelabu, the campaign seeks to tackle power theft, poor payment habits, and safeguard national power assets. He emphasized that the campaign would utilize various media platforms social, digital, and print targeting Nigeria’s vast population of over 200 million.
However, Ajaero described the budget allocation as “absurd” and criticized the ministry for focusing on educating Nigerians about paying electricity bills rather than addressing deeper issues plaguing the sector. He urged the Ministry of Power and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to focus on rejuvenating the sector and preventing its collapse, rather than spending vast sums on sensitization campaigns.
In the statement titled “Before the Collapse of the Power Sector: N8 Billion Budget for Electricity Bill Sensitization and Matters Arising,” Ajaero pointed out the widespread corruption and leadership incompetence in the sector. He lamented that despite heavy investments, the sector continues to suffer from poor governance and mismanagement. He stated, “The Power sector in Nigeria is at the brink of collapse… it is a sector where NERC, despite the powers invested in it by the Electricity Act of 2023, has consistently failed to regulate effectively or discharge its duties to consumers.”
Ajaero further criticized the Minister of Power for seeking funds to educate Nigerians when contractors involved in delivering power capacity, such as those in the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), are owed over N200 billion. He expressed disbelief that the government continues to prioritize media campaigns over addressing the real problems at the heart of the power sector.
The NLC President highlighted the union’s active role in intervening within the sector, particularly pointing to the ministry’s failure to curb the regular grid collapses. He accused the leadership of being responsible for the frequent power grid failures, which have now become a recurring issue under their watch. Ajaero called this a “clear admission of incapacity and failure” by the Ministry of Power.
He also criticized NERC for allegedly colluding with the Board of one of the Distribution Companies (DISCOs) to sack a Managing Director who had exposed unethical practices within the company. Ajaero denounced NERC’s actions as a betrayal of its mandate to ensure transparency and accountability within the electricity sector, adding that the commission’s failure to protect whistleblowers further undermines public confidence in the sector.
The NLC expressed outrage at the N8 billion budget allocation for sensitization, describing it as a waste of public funds and a sign of deeper governance failure. The union warned that failure to address the core issues within the power sector would further erode public trust in government institutions and exacerbate the socio-economic challenges faced by millions of Nigerians.
Ajaero emphasized that the NLC would continue to monitor the developments closely and would mobilize against any attempt to use the budget process as a vehicle for wasteful expenditures. He called for immediate reforms in the power sector to prevent its complete collapse and improve the living conditions of Nigerians dependent on reliable electricity.
