The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday staged a protest at the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) headquarters, demanding an immediate review of nearly 900 recent staff dismissals and issuing a 48-hour ultimatum to management or face a complete shutdown.
Leading the demonstration, NLC President Comrade Joe Ajaero condemned the mass layoffs as “deceptive” and a troubling precedent for Nigeria’s fragile power sector. The dispute originated six months ago when AEDC claimed the cuts targeted only retiring employees. “At that time, the union accepted the explanation, as no responsible labour leader opposes the exit of workers who have legitimately reached retirement age,” Ajaero said.
However, union investigations revealed a different reality: many of the affected employees were far from retirement, with some having served only two to six years. “This is the height of deceit,” he charged. Ajaero warned that other distribution companies are beginning to emulate AEDC’s approach, posing a broader risk to the power sector.
Tensions escalated when NLC representatives arrived for a scheduled meeting with AEDC management, only to find the Managing Director absent. The union called off the talks and ordered staff to remain on standby, effectively halting operations. Ajaero gave the 48-hour deadline, stating: “If nothing is done within that time, we cannot guarantee power supply. Workers will stay at home, and operations will be affected.”
The NLC also criticised the sector’s billing and regulatory systems, highlighting estimated billing practices and unpaid union dues. “Some firms demand trillions of naira for inefficiency while withholding over ₦5 billion in union dues,” Ajaero said. He stressed that employers must comply with labour laws and warned that privatized companies should respect workers’ rights rather than exploit them.
The union demanded that AEDC release a full list of dismissed employees, including years of service and reasons for termination, to ensure transparency. “What we are seeing is endless dialogue with no implementation. That has no place in industrial relations,” Ajaero added. He concluded: “We are not asking for anything outside the law. But if the law is followed, justice will be served.”
