By Ayo Kehinde
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected the Federal Government’s proposed N6 trillion bailout for power generation companies, warning that continued financial interventions will not resolve the country’s deepening electricity crisis.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, NLC President, Joe Ajaero, said the proposed bailout represents a misplaced response to longstanding structural challenges in the power sector.
“The proposed N6 trillion bailout is a mere symptom of deeper structural failures in the power sector, and repeated financial interventions have not translated into improved electricity supply for Nigerians”, Ajaero said.
He cautioned against the continued use of public funds to sustain what he described as an inefficient and poorly structured system, noting that ordinary Nigerians remain burdened by high tariffs and persistent power outages despite previous interventions.
“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”, he added.
The labour leader called for urgent and far-reaching reforms, including the merger of the Ministries of Power and Petroleum into a single Ministry of Energy to enhance coordination and policy efficiency.
According to him, the current separation of the sectors has created operational bottlenecks, particularly in the supply of gas to thermal power plants, which account for a large share of Nigeria’s electricity generation.
Ajaero said an integrated energy framework would prioritise domestic electricity needs, strengthen energy security, and support sustainable national development.
He also urged the Federal Government to halt the proposed bailout, insisting that public resources should not be used to support what he termed failed private investments in the power sector.
“Electricity must 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”, he said.
The NLC president emphasised that reforms must prioritise service delivery, public interest, and the welfare of Nigerian workers, rather than commercial considerations.
He further called on the government to convene a stakeholders’ summit to develop a people-centred roadmap for the power sector, stressing the need for policies that promote transparency, accountability, and long-term sustainability.
Ajaero maintained that only comprehensive structural reforms and not repeated bailouts, can deliver stable and affordable electricity to Nigerians and drive economic growth.
