NLC and TUC Set May 31 Deadline to Reverse Electricity Tariff Hike

The Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress on Monday gave the Federal Government a deadline of May 31, 2024, to reverse the hike in electricity tariff.

The unions took the decision at the end of a jointly held National Executive Council meeting.

“The NEC once again vehemently condemns the unilateral increase in electricity tariff by the authorities. This action, taken without due consideration for the economic hardships faced by the masses and the provisions of the Law, is deemed unjust and burdensome. The NEC reaffirms its demands for an immediate reversal of the tariff hike and the vexatious apartheid categorization into Bands to alleviate the suffering of Nigerian workers and citizens and gives the National Electricity Regulatory Commission and the federal government until the last day of May 2024 to meet these demands,” the statement issued at the end of the meeting said.

Recall that the Organized Labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress, and their affiliates recently grounded offices of the NERC nationwide over the recent hike in electricity tariffs.

The NERC announced the hike in the electricity tariff for Band A customers at a press briefing in Abuja on April 3, revealing that those affected would pay N225 per kilowatt-hour, up from the previous rate of N68/kWh.

The hike represented a 240 per cent increase.

The development marked the removal of subsidy from the tariff of customers in the Band A category, who constituted about 15 per cent of the total 12.82 million power consumers across the country.

Based on the tariff hike, the Federal Government said it would save N1.5tn.

The government stated that the decision took effect on April 3, 2024, adding that Band A customers would enjoy up to 20 hours of power supply daily.