NLC faults FG’s N8b allocation for electricity bill awareness campaign in 2025 budget

This statement was made yesterday by the union’s President, Comrade Joe Ajaero.

The Federal Ministry of Power proposed this budget to educate Nigerians on the significance of timely payment of electricity bills.

During a budget defense at the National Assembly on Monday, Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu introduced the initiative, stating it aims to tackle issues like power theft, poor payment habits, and the safeguarding of national power assets.

He noted that the campaign would utilize various media platforms, including social, digital, and print, to effectively reach Nigeria’s population of over 200 million.

Adelabu stressed the necessity for a nationwide reorientation regarding the power sector, noting that many Nigerians still fail to recognize that electricity is not free and that protecting the sector’s infrastructure is crucial for ensuring a stable power supply.

In response, Ajaero criticized the ministry’s request as “absurd,” calling on officials in the Power Ministry and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to revitalize the sector and prevent its total collapse.

In a statement titled Before The Collapse Of The Power Sector: N8 Billion Budget For Electricity Bill Sensitization And Matters Arising, the NLC highlighted rampant corruption in the power sector and the leaders’ failure to find sustainable solutions despite significant investments.

“The power sector in Nigeria is on the verge of collapse, with leaders displaying gross incompetence. The NERC, despite the substantial authority granted by the Electricity Act of 2023, has consistently failed to regulate or fulfill its responsibilities to electricity consumers, while the Minister seeks N8 billion to educate Nigerians on bill payments,” Ajaero remarked.

He pointed out that as the Minister requests N8 billion for education, contractors at the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) are owed over N200 billion.

Ajaero also highlighted various interventions of the NLC in the power sector, criticizing the ministry for lacking competent leadership.

“If not for the unions’ intervention in December 2024, the procurement committee would have further burdened the sector by awarding more contracts,” he stated.

He expressed surprise at the leadership’s misplaced priorities, arguing that if the Ministry of Power had competent officials, the ongoing grid collapses could have been prevented.

Ajaero condemned the Minister’s remarks, viewing them as an admission of failure and questioning why officials have not resigned.

He noted that the frequency of grid collapses under the current leadership exceeds that of all previous administrations combined.

Instead of empty rhetoric, Nigerians expect serious action regarding their affairs.

Ajaero criticized NERC for its silence and complicity in dismissing a DISCO managing director who exposed unethical practices, stating that whistleblowing has become an offense rather than a protected action.

He concluded by expressing profound disappointment over the N8 billion allocation for the awareness campaign, reiterating the NLC’s call for the Power Ministry and NERC to revitalize the sector.

“Our stance is clear: we will not tolerate the waste of public funds under the guise of governance. This exemplifies why Nigeria remains economically stagnant and why incompetence persists unchecked,” he warned, emphasizing that failure to address these issues could further undermine public trust in government institutions and worsen the socio-economic conditions for millions of Nigerians.

The NLC will continue to monitor developments and will mobilize against any attempts to misuse the budget process for wasteful expenditures.