The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the resignation of the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, citing frequent national power grid collapses and alleged incompetence.

In a statement Tuesday night, NLC President Joe Ajaero described the electricity sector as being on the brink of collapse. He criticized the Minister’s acknowledgment that grid failures would persist, calling it an “admission of incapacity.”

Ajaero alleged that under Adelabu’s leadership, grid collapses have occurred more frequently than in previous administrations combined. He also condemned the proposed ₦8 billion allocation in the 2025 budget for public sensitization on electricity bill payments, labeling it a misplaced priority.

“While contractors at the Transmission Company of Nigeria are owed over ₦200 billion, the Ministry seeks ₦8 billion for frivolities,” Ajaero said, adding that such mismanagement exacerbates the sector’s challenges.

The NLC also accused the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) of failing to regulate effectively, citing a recent incident where the commission allegedly colluded in the dismissal of a whistleblower within a distribution company.

The union warned against budgetary waste and called for urgent reforms to stabilize the electricity sector. “Incompetence must not be rewarded. Those responsible must be held accountable,” Ajaero concluded.