Blackout averted as electricity workers suspend strike after FG’s intervention

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

A nationwide blackout was connected Thursday averted arsenic energy workers suspended their onslaught aft astir 10 hours pursuing the involution of the Federal Government successful the labour quality rocking the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN.

The truce was reached astatine an exigency gathering convened by the Minister of Power, represented by elder officials of the ministry, and attended by officials of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the absorption 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, successful Abuja.

The strike, which was triggered by unresolved payment and operational issues, had raised fears of a nationwide blackout.

However, aft hours of deliberation, some sides agreed to cardinal resolutions that paved the mode for the suspension of the concern action.

According to the communiqué issued astatine the extremity of the meeting, the unions accepted the Minister’s entreaty to reappraisal the study of a lasting committee by October 6–7, 2025, for implementation to statesman aboriginal successful the aforesaid month.

The communiqué further stated that TCN and NISO would jointly measure the fiscal implications of the committee’s study and hole an implementation program for presumption to the Minister of Power and the unions. In addition, some unions and absorption are expected to reconvene successful different gathering to resoluteness outstanding issues.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) was besides directed to expedite its reappraisal of tariffs to alteration creaseless implementation of the agreement. Importantly, the parties agreed that nary worker would beryllium victimised for participating successful the onslaught action.

With these resolutions, the unions announced the suspension of their strike, giving country for the agreements to beryllium activated.

Labour leaders described the result arsenic a “measured victory” portion informing that they would not hesitate to resume concern enactment should the authorities oregon TCN renege connected the pact.

The improvement has calmed rising anxiousness crossed the country, wherever 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 unit payment and captious operational concerns.

In a circular dated September 24, 2025, NUEE’s acting General Secretary, Dominic Igwebike, said the

union could nary longer basal idle portion members’ rights were violated and the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, NESI, continued to deteriorate.

The workers’ grievances see non-implementation of the caller nationalist minimum wage, casualisation of staff, non-payment of salaries since April 2025, deficiency of operational tools and vehicles, and nonaccomplishment to supply Personal Protective Equipment, PPE, since 2021.

They besides cited unresolved issues from the unbundling of TCN and non-payment of status benefits.
NUEE said: “It is regrettable that TCN absorption has chosen to dainty these captious issues with levity and utter disregard for its hard-working staff. We cannot proceed to fold our arms portion our rights are trampled upon and the energy assemblage deteriorates. To this end, the national is compelled to retreat its services with contiguous effect. Members are hereby directed to retreat their services until specified a clip that absorption demonstrates readiness to conscionable its obligations to the workforce.”

The station Blackout averted arsenic energy workers suspend onslaught aft FG’s intervention appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.