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300% Hike in Electricity Tariffs; Private Gain, Public Disaster— NUEE President
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The National President of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) Comrade Engr. Adebiyi Adeyeye stands firm in his commitment to advocate for the welfare of his Union members and the Nigerian populace amidst recent developments in the power sector.
The NUEE Boss has issued a swift response to the recent press release by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) regarding tariff adjustments. As the representative body for employees across the Generation, Transmission, and Distribution sectors, it is our duty to address matters that directly impact our members and the public.
Upon thorough review of the Commission’s announcement, it has become evident that the decision to escalate tariffs does not align with the interests of the masses. NUEE vehemently opposes any policy that burdens the Nigerian people, particularly the less privileged.
NUEE President, while reacting to the recent electricity tariff hike said, “I am deeply concerned about the burden this increase places on our members and the general masses, particularly during a challenging economic climate like this.
“While we recognize the need for investment in the power sector, I believe a focus on improved efficiency and reduced energy losses should be prioritized before further tariff adjustment.
The proposed tariff hikes, especially for Band A consumers, will disproportionately affect everyone that rely heavily on electricity for their daily needs. This shift in pricing dynamics threatens to exacerbate inequalities, favoring the affluent while placing undue strain on the less fortunate segments of society.
The rising cost of electricity directly impacts household budgets, forcing difficult choices between essential needs and paying electricity bills.
For businesses, the increased cost of electricity translates to higher production costs. This can lead to price hikes for goods and services, further fueling inflation and hindering economic growth.
Furthermore, the NUEE President asserts that the intended benefits of this tariff adjustment do not extend to our members in the distribution sector, most especially the Legacy Staff. Instead, it appears to serve the interests of a select few within the DISCOs, disregarding the plight of workers facing delayed salaries and pensions, ugly infusion of high targets for the staff and threatening them to meet up with at all costs, amongst other financial hardships.
A non-technical professional can never make a valuable contribution to the success of the Nigerian power sector.
It is worthy of note, that the timing of this tariff increase feels particularly insensitive given the current economic situation. Many Nigerians are already facing financial hardship, and this additional expense adds unnecessary stress.
As such, no consultation was made with any stakeholder before flagrantly violating the provisional power sector reform act, 2023 as amended.
Since the privatization in 2013, there have been 7 different tariff increases. Yet, nothing meaningful has been done to enhance the worker’s welfare other than engaging them in modern day slavery. No appreciable improvement has been made in the power sector since the privatization.
Moreover, much of the DISCOs electrical infrastructure dates back decades. Overtime, their transformers, distribution poles, and distribution networks deteriorate to inefficiencies and increased power losses. Thereby, reducing the wheeling capacity of the Transmission Company of Nigeria of about 12,000MW to just about 4,000MW.
Regular maintenance is crucial for keeping the circuit in good working order. However, lack of proper funding and resources which looms in the DISCOs often lead to neglected maintenance further exacerbating the problems.
Significant amount of power is lost during distribution due to outdated and poorly maintained power equipments and 33/11kV lines. These losses can be as high as 40% in some areas, significantly reducing the amount of electricity that reaches consumers. How will the DISCOs neglect all these, look away from the changes they should have made to the power sector after 13 years of privatization and move on to increasing electricity tariffs?
It’s not out of place to have the government subsidize electricity. Whence in some advanced countries, they still do that till now.
Germany for example, has a long history of supporting renewable energy resources through feed-in tariffs. The subsidy is paid based on the amount of electricity produced, and it helps to offset the initial cost of installing renewable energy systems.
Also, the United States has various programs that provide subsidies to low-income households to help them afford their electricity bills. These programs are typically administered by state and local governments, and they can take the form of direct bill discounts or assistance with weatherization measures that can help reduce energy consumption.
Finally, the recent electricity tariff hike is a blatant disregard for the economic struggles of Nigerian workers.
Not even in a society where minimum wages are ambivalently doubtful.
NUEE strongly condemn this decision and demand immediate action to reverse it.
If the government fails to address the crippling cost of electricity, NUEE will not hesitate to take strong action, including the swift withdrawal of our members expected to be used by DISCOs to impose the tariff hike on the good people, to protect the livelihood of our members.
I however call upon all Nigerians to join us in raising our voices against this injustice. Together, we can force the government to prioritize the well-being of its citizens over corporate interests.
Our unwavering commitment remains to safeguard the interests of our members and ensure equitable access to electricity for all Nigerians.
Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc (AEDC) has promoted 547 employees and approved salary step increments for 579 others as part of a broad workforce development programme designed to reward outstanding performance, strengthen staff motivation and drive organisational excellence.
The exercise, which benefitted 1,126 employees, followed the successful completion of the company’s 2025 Performance Appraisal Exercise and underscores AEDC’s commitment to building a high-performing, customer-focused workforce.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of AEDC, Chijioke Okwuokenye, said the initiative reflects the company’s resolve to place employees at the heart of its transformation agenda, stressing that investment in human capital remains critical to achieving sustainable growth.
He described the promotions and salary adjustments as a recognition of diligence, professionalism and commitment, noting that the company would continue to reward excellence while creating opportunities for career advancement.
According to him, AEDC is intentionally fostering a work environment where merit, innovation, continuous learning and teamwork determine career progression, adding that employee welfare remains a key pillar of the company’s long-term strategy.
“Our people remain our greatest asset and the foundation upon which AEDC’s future will be built. This is more than a reward for performance; it is a reaffirmation of our belief that excellence should always be recognised, talent should be nurtured and hard work should create opportunities for growth,” Okwuokenye said.
He explained that the organisation is committed to providing employees with fulfilling career opportunities that enable them to maximise their potential while contributing to AEDC’s ambition of becoming one of Africa’s leading electricity distribution companies.
The AEDC chief also urged employees who were not promoted in the current appraisal cycle to remain committed, assuring them that the company’s performance management system is structured to support continuous improvement, skills development and future career progression.
AEDC said the promotion and salary increment exercise forms part of its broader strategy to cultivate a performance-driven culture, encourage professionalism and recognise employees who contribute significantly to the company’s growth.
The company added that as it continues to modernise operations, improve electricity service delivery and enhance customer experience, it will sustain investments in staff development to strengthen productivity and reinforce its position as one of Nigeria’s preferred employers in the power sector.
Some hoodlums suspected to be political thugs on Sunday stormed a permanent voter’s card (PVC) distribution centre in Okuku, the headquarters of the Odo-Otin Local Government Area of the state, and carted away two packs of PVCs.
The INEC officials were busy distributing the cards at the Oyinlola DC Primary School, Ward 2, when the thugs suddenly arrived and started shooting sporadically into the air, scaring residents and officials, and took two packs of cards and left the venue before police could arrive at the scene.
The spokesperson of the Osun State Command, Abiodun Ojelabi, said that about ten armed hoodlums invaded the centre, fired sporadically into the air and carted away three packs of PVCs before fleeing the scene.
Ojelabi disclosed that the State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, has condemned the attack and directed a comprehensive investigation to identify and prosecute those responsible.
Reacting to the development, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of INEC in the state, Oluwatoyin Babalola, condemned the attack. She said she was to get the detailed report on the attack, adding that she is yet to know the exact number of PVCs carted away by the hoodlums.
The REC, however, assured the people of the state that the governorship election would be free, fair, credible, inclusive and transparent.
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has uploaded the details of 27 governorship candidates and their running mates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Candidate Nomination Portal (ICNP) ahead of the August 8 deadline.
The party has also uploaded the particulars of more than 60 per cent of its candidates contesting seats in the various State Houses of Assembly.
Findings indicated that the APC’s ICT department has completed the upload for candidates in 27 of the 28 states conducting governorship elections, with disagreement over the deputy governorship slot in one North-West state delaying the final submission.
A source on the APC National Working Committee (NWC) Vetting Committee, chaired by Hon. Jibrin Bancir, disclosed that 15 of the 16 incumbent governors seeking re-election had been cleared and uploaded to the portal.
Also uploaded were the details of 12 first-time governorship candidates and their running mates, including Obafemi Hamzat (Lagos), Solomon Adeola (Ogun), Ogundu Kingsley Chinda (Rivers), Eric Opah (Abia), Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi), Mustapha Gubio (Borno), Jamilu Gwamna (Gombe), Ahmed Aliyu Wadada (Nasarawa) and Baba Malam Wali (Yobe).
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a member of the vetting committee said the party had made substantial progress in meeting the electoral commission’s deadline.
“We have made giant strides in our efforts to upload the details of all our governorship candidates and their deputies. In fact, but for one state, we would have completed and closed the process for governorship candidates,” the source said.
The source attributed the delay to the unresolved choice of a deputy governorship candidate in a North-West state.
“The delay is caused by the deputy governorship candidate. We have been told that the issue will be resolved at a crucial stakeholders’ meeting scheduled for Monday here in Abuja,” the official added.
On the nomination of state assembly candidates, the source said the party had overcome initial technical challenges on INEC’s portal and had successfully uploaded the particulars of more than 60 per cent of its candidates.
“Despite the initial delay due to technical issues from the electoral umpire, our ICT personnel kept scanning and filling the details of our State Houses of Assembly candidates,” the source stated. “It was easy for us to upload immediately INEC opened the portal for sub-national lawmakers.
“Recall that our party completed the uploading of our Presidential and National Assembly candidates within record time. We are fully set to ensure that details of all 28 governorship candidates, their deputies, and the 990 state legislative nominees are uploaded well before the August 8 deadline.”
Under Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, political parties must strictly comply with statutory timelines to submit candidate lists along with affidavits and personal declarations (Forms EC9 and EC9A through EC9E).
The digital portal—which opened at 9:00 a.m. on July 18—will automatically lock at 6:00 p.m. on August 8, leaving no room for manual submissions or post-deadline extensions.
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