By Victor Ahiuma-Young
A nationwide blackout was on Thursday averted as electricity workers suspended their strike after about 10 hours following the intervention of the Federal Government in the labour dispute rocking the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN.
The truce was reached at an emergency meeting convened by the Minister of Power, represented by senior officials of the ministry, and attended by officials of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the management of TCN, the Nigerian Independent System Operator, NISO, the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, and the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies, SSAEAC, in Abuja.
The strike, which was triggered by unresolved welfare and operational issues, had raised fears of a nationwide blackout.
However, after hours of deliberation, both sides agreed to key resolutions that paved the way for the suspension of the industrial action.
According to the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the unions accepted the Minister’s appeal to review the report of a standing committee by October 6–7, 2025, for implementation to begin later in the same month.
The communiqué further stated that TCN and NISO would jointly evaluate the financial implications of the committee’s report and prepare an implementation plan for presentation to the Minister of Power and the unions. In addition, both unions and management are expected to reconvene in another meeting to resolve outstanding issues.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) was also directed to expedite its review of tariffs to enable smooth implementation of the agreement. Importantly, the parties agreed that no employee would be victimised for participating in the strike action.
With these resolutions, the unions announced the suspension of their strike, giving room for the agreements to be activated.
Labour leaders described the outcome as a “measured victory” while warning that they would not hesitate to resume industrial action should the government or TCN renege on the pact.
The development has calmed rising anxiety across the country, where fears of a prolonged blackout had gripped homes and businesses.
NUEE had yesterday began an indefinite strike, accusing the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, of neglecting staff welfare and critical operational concerns.
In a circular dated September 24, 2025, NUEE’s acting General Secretary, Dominic Igwebike, said the
union could no longer stand idle while members’ rights were violated and the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, NESI, continued to deteriorate.
The workers’ grievances include non-implementation of the new national minimum wage, casualisation of staff, non-payment of salaries since April 2025, lack of operational tools and vehicles, and failure to provide Personal Protective Equipment, PPE, since 2021.
They also cited unresolved issues from the unbundling of TCN and non-payment of retirement benefits.
NUEE said: “It is regrettable that TCN management has chosen to treat these critical issues with levity and utter disregard for its hard-working staff. We cannot continue to fold our arms while our rights are trampled upon and the electricity sector deteriorates. To this end, the union is compelled to withdraw its services with immediate effect. Members are hereby directed to withdraw their services until such a time that management demonstrates readiness to meet its obligations to the workforce.”
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