Breaking: Nationwide blackout as labour union shuts down national grid over minimum wage

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, says labour union has ordered shut down of the national grid this Monday which has brought total blackout nationwide.
The shutdown occurred at about 2.19 am this Monday 3rd June, 2024 as the labour union has commenced it’s proposed nationwide strike.
It will be recalled that due to the Federal Government’s refusal to increase new minimum wage offer to labour above N60,000, the Organised Labour had declared an indefinite nationwide strike.

TCN in a statement issued in Abuja today by its General Manager, Public Affairs, Mrs Ndidi Mbah, made available to Nation Update announced that the blackout began at approximately 2:19 am.

She said the incident started at 1:15 am when the Benin Transmission Operator, under the Independent System Operations unit of TCN, reported that all operators were forcefully removed from the control room.

According to TCN, staff members who resisted were assaulted, resulting in several injuries. With no control or supervision, the Benin Area Control Center was completely shut down.
Mbah said the Labour Union’s actions extended to other key transmission substations, including Ganmo, Ayede, Olorunsogo, Akangba, Osogbo, and Benin. The Union’s activities also led to the opening of several transmission lines, exacerbating the situation.

She went on to state that the power generating sector has not been spared, adding that various generating stations were forced to shut down units, including the Jebba Generating Station, which shut down one unit, followed by the automatic shutdown of three other units due to high frequency issues.

Mbah added that the development had sudden forced load cuts destabilized the system, culminating in the nationwide grid collapse at 2:19 am.

She, however, disclosed that despite the severe disruption, TCN had initiated efforts to restore the grid.

“At 3:23 am, TCN began recovery operations using the Shiroro Substation to attempt to feed transmission lines supplying bulk electricity to the Katampe Transmission Substation. However, ongoing obstructions by the Labour Union continue to hinder the grid recovery process”, she said.

TCN’s General Manager also reassured the public that the company was tirelessly working to stabilize the grid and restore normal electricity transmission to distribution centers across the country.