Nigerians may face a prolonged blackout as the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) on Wednesday commenced an indefinite nationwide strike over unresolved labour disputes with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
In a circular signed by Acting General Secretary Dominic Igwebike, the union directed electricity workers across the country to withdraw their services until management addresses their demands.
The strike, which took effect immediately, threatens to shut down the national grid and worsen the country’s already fragile power supply.
According to NUEE, the action became necessary after the expiration of an earlier ultimatum issued to TCN. The union accused the company of ignoring key issues affecting workers’ welfare, including inadequate tools for field operations, poor conditions of service, and repeated violations of labour rights.
“Unfortunately, the TCN management has decided to handle these issues with kid gloves and with a lack of regard for the hardworking staff of TCN,” the notice stated.
The development raises concerns for millions of Nigerians who already endure epileptic power supply, as well as industries that rely heavily on electricity to sustain production.
Prolonged outages could lead to economic disruptions, higher production costs, and a ripple effect on goods and services.
Labour analysts warn that if the standoff is not resolved quickly, the country could experience a total system collapse. They urged the federal government to intervene immediately to prevent further strain on households and businesses already struggling with rising energy costs.
As of the time of writing this post, TCN management had yet to issue an official response to the strike action.
