Tension escalated at the headquarters of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) staged a protest over the dismissal of nearly 900 employees.
Led by its President, Joe Ajaero, the union issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the company’s management to reverse or address the layoffs or face a total shutdown of operations.
Ajaero described the mass disengagement as “the height of deceit,” alleging that many of the affected workers were far from retirement age, contrary to earlier claims by the company.
The situation intensified when NLC officials arrived for a scheduled meeting but discovered the Managing Director was absent, prompting an immediate picketing of the facility and a halt in activities as workers vacated their offices.
“If nothing is done within that time, we cannot guarantee power supply,” Ajaero warned, adding that the action could spread across all AEDC operational zones.
The labour leader also criticized the power sector, citing estimated billing, poor service delivery, and alleged exploitation of consumers, while accusing some operators of seeking huge government bailouts without meeting their obligations.
The NLC is demanding full disclosure of the disengaged workers’ details, alongside improved welfare and working conditions, warning that unresolved labour issues could trigger wider unrest across the sector.