Workers Shut Down Power Grid, Causes Nationwide Blackout

Early Monday morning, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) initiated a nationwide strike, triggering a complete shutdown of Nigeria’s power grid. This drastic action has left the entire country without electricity, causing widespread disruption.

The strike, orchestrated by the NLC and TUC, began as a protest against the Federal Government’s proposed N60,000 minimum wage, which the unions consider insufficient. In a bold move to underscore their demands, union members forcibly ceased operations at key transmission substations across the country.

Details of the shutdown

According to a statement by Ndidi Mbah, spokesperson for the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the shutdown was executed deliberately by union workers. It began when operators at the Benin Transmission Station were physically removed from their posts by strikers at approximately 1:15 AM, with some staff reportedly assaulted during the confrontation.

Subsequently, multiple substations, including Ganmo, Benin, Ayede, Olorunsogo, Akangba, and Osogbo, were shut down. This coordinated effort led to the national grid’s collapse at 2:19 AM, immediately plunging the country into darkness.

The strike also impacted power generation stations. For instance, the Jebba Generating Station was forced to shut down one of its units, with three additional units going offline due to high frequency and resultant system instability.

TCN efforts to restore power

By 3:23 AM, TCN began efforts to recover the grid, starting with the Shiroro Substation in an attempt to feed electricity back into the transmission lines connected to the Katampe Transmission Substation. Despite these efforts, the labour union’s continued presence and activities are hindering the full restoration of the grid.

TCN has committed to ongoing efforts to stabilize and restore the grid to ensure the resumption of normal electricity transmission nationwide. However, the situation remains precarious, and the full resolution depends significantly on the ongoing negotiations between the government and the striking unions.