NLC: Nigeria’s Energy Model Has Failed, Government Must Act

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for a major restructuring of Nigeria’s energy sector, declaring that the current model has failed to provide reliable energy and has instead left citizens paying the price for persistent electricity shortages.

Eche Asuzu, National Coordinator of the NLC’s Climate Change, Green Jobs and Just Transition Programme, made the call in Nairobi, Kenya, during discussions on the sidelines of the New Energy for Africa II Convening.

The conference, organised by the International Trade Union Confederation, ITUC-Africa, focused on African workers’ contributions to energy sovereignty, green industrialisation and a common African position for COP31.

Asuzu argued that Nigeria needed a fundamental change in the way energy policy was designed and implemented.

He advocated a people-centred approach that would treat energy as a public good rather than primarily as a profit-making commodity.

“Clearly, the models we have adopted have not worked, and that calls for a lot of political will to do the right thing,” Asuzu said.

He criticised the country’s top-down policy approach and called for communities and energy consumers to play a greater role in determining energy priorities.

“We have seen that the top-down approach has not worked. So, we need a system of bottom-up engagement that allows us to gather the information we need, share experiences and learn the necessary lessons that can move us forward.”

‘People must be at the centre’

According to the NLC official, Nigerians who experience energy poverty daily should not be excluded from policymaking.

“We need to democratise energy in Nigeria. We need to put people at the centre of energy policy, energy considerations and energy action,” he said.

He criticised the impact of privatisation on the power sector, saying the country had not achieved the expected improvement in electricity supply.

“People are making profit out of darkness instead of generating enough power to unlock our potential as a country. That is a trend we must find a way to reverse.

“We privatised. What has become of it? We privatised, but we are producing megawatts of darkness, and that is very unfortunate.”

Asuzu called on the Federal Government to reassess its energy policies and make energy a key driver of industrialisation, economic transformation and employment.

NLC wants stronger government role

He said government could not completely withdraw from the energy sector and insisted that it had an important role to play in ensuring energy security.

“The Constitution says government must have business in business. In the area of energy provision and the role of government in the economy, especially as it relates to energy, government must have a role,” he said.

“The earlier we jump onto that train and take our rightful position, the better for us.”

Asuzu urged Nigeria to expand its renewable and green-energy capacity, saying the global move towards green industrialisation presented an opportunity for the country.

“We must have energy, and not just any kind of energy, but green energy, so that we can position ourselves to take advantage of the current drive towards industrialisation and green industrialisation around the world.”

He stressed the need for Africa to industrialise and transform its economies, particularly given its large young population.

“A continent with the youngest population in the world cannot afford not to industrialise. We must also transform our economies.”

The NLC official also called for better standards for workers in the emerging green economy.

“Green jobs may not necessarily be decent jobs. So, we must make them decent by ensuring living wages, improved working conditions and, of course, social protection,” he said.

‘More than 60 per cent’ affected by energy poverty

Asuzu said addressing energy poverty should be an immediate priority for the government.

“Our experience is one of exclusion. So far, people have been excluded, as if they do not know anything about energy. But they know energy because they use it every day,” he said.

He added: “We should begin where it hurts us. Energy poverty is real in our country. More than 60 per cent of our population are left without affordable, sufficient and reliable energy.”

He also advised the government to involve all relevant stakeholders and move away from what he described as foreign-assisted and foreign-dominated energy-policy frameworks.

“Government must bring every stakeholder on board and avoid all these foreign-assisted and foreign-dominated energy policy frameworks. They have not worked,” he said.

Calls for Mambilla project resolution

Asuzu said the prolonged controversy surrounding the Mambilla Power Project needed to be resolved and urged the government to maximise Nigeria’s hydropower potential and other green-energy resources.

“We must be able to untangle all these issues and ensure that our green energy sources are activated,” he said.

However, he cautioned against an immediate abandonment of fossil fuels, saying natural gas could play a role as Nigeria transitions towards cleaner energy.

According to him, the country must adopt better policies around gas pricing and utilisation.

“Until we de-dollarise our gas pricing structure, we will not get it right. It is a Nigerian asset. Why do we need to dollarise the payment? It is quite strange,” he said.

He warned that unresolved technical issues within the energy sector were contributing to instability and worsening economic pressure on workers and ordinary Nigerians.

“These are some of the technical issues that people do not know about, but they are at the heart of the instability, pressure and hardship being transferred to Nigerian workers and the people. That must stop,” Asuzu said.

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