The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has brokered a truce between the management of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and the electricity-sector unions to ease rising tensions over welfare demands, salaries, and allowances.
Union representatives maintained that rising living costs and workplace pressures justify a review of compensation packages, while management reiterated its commitment to continued engagement within a structured negotiation process.
The intervention took place during a high-level meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, involving the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC), and senior executives of TCN. The engagement came amid renewed threats of industrial action by workers seeking a comprehensive review of compensation structures.
Present at the meeting were the Managing Director of TCN, Engineer Abdul-Aziz Sule, the Managing Director of the Nigeria Independent System Operator, Engineer Mohammed Bello, alongside senior management teams. Union delegations included Opaluwa Eleojo and Dennis Ufene representing NUEE, as well as John Okoro and Solomon Kigbu for SSAEAC.
During the meeting, the Minister urged all parties to prioritise dialogue and adopt a collaborative framework to sustain operational stability within the transmission segment of the power industry. He acknowledged the workers’ concerns regarding remuneration but stressed that current fiscal realities require a measured approach that aligns labour expectations with the organisation’s financial capacity.
Adelabu warned that the unions’ proposed 100 per cent increase in salaries and allowances could push the company’s wage bill to about N4 billion monthly, a level he described as unsustainable within existing revenue conditions. He emphasised that personnel expenditure must be balanced with ongoing investments required to maintain grid reliability and support sector reforms.
The Minister also highlighted the strategic sensitivity of electricity transmission to national economic performance, noting that disruptions within TCN could have broader implications for businesses, households, and investor confidence. He appealed for improved industrial relations, encouraging union leaders to avoid actions that could escalate operational risks.
