The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has dismissed about 800 employees as part of a massive restructuring drive aimed at repositioning the firm for improved efficiency amid Nigeria’s worsening power sector crisis.
The affected workers, drawn from the company’s franchise areas covering the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kogi, Niger, and Nasarawa States, reportedly began receiving their disengagement letters on Wednesday, November 5, 2025.
According to internal sources, the retrenchment exercise is part of an ongoing “rightsizing process” introduced by management to streamline operations and reduce costs. The disengagement letters, signed by AEDC’s Chief Human Resources Officer, Mr. Adeniyi Adejola, instructed affected staff to return company property and complete exit clearances before receiving their final entitlements.
It was gathered that the initial plan was to sack about 1,800 workers but was reduced to 800 following negotiations and resistance from the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC).
AEDC management, however, insists the move aligns with its transformation strategy to make the company more agile, innovative, and customer-oriented.
The development highlights the broader challenges confronting Nigeria’s electricity distribution companies, including low revenue collection, high technical losses, non-cost-reflective tariffs, and poor infrastructure.
Analysts warn that the mass layoff could further impact electricity supply and staff morale as millions of consumers already grapple with irregular power supply across the country.
Written By:Subair Damilare Adebayo
