NLC strike-induced grid shutdown causes blackout across the nation
Nigeria’s national grid went down to zero megawatts after power was cut off to all eleven electricity distribution companies due to a strike by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).
Ndidi Mbah, the General Manager of Public Affairs at the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), explained that this nationwide blackout happened because TCN employees, who are part of the National Union of Electricity Workers (NUEE), shut down all power substations across the country.
The shutdown occurred at around 2:19 AM on Monday, June 3, causing the grid to collapse completely.
This incident happened after Labour Unions met with the leaders of the National Assembly in Abuja on Sunday, June 2.
During this meeting, the Labour leaders confirmed their decision to start the nationwide strike on Monday.
Festus Osifo, the President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), mentioned after the meeting that they did not have the authority to call off the strike.
He added that the strike would begin as planned on Monday morning and that they would take the National Assembly’s request to call off the strike to their respective groups for consideration.
The Labour Unions decided to strike due to stalled negotiations with the Federal Government over a new national minimum wage and a recent increase in electricity tariffs.
They argue that the current minimum wage of ₦30,000 is not enough for the average Nigerian worker and also noted that some governors are not adhering to the existing wage agreement, which expired in April 2024, five years after former President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Minimum Wage Act of 2019.
