Oil & Energy

Electricity Tariff : FG Begs NLC Against Strike

Published

10 years ago

April 11, 2016

The Federal Government
has called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), not to go on its proposed warning strike over hike in electricity tariff.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, made the call on Thursday in Abuja at the Third Triennial National Delegates Conference of the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC).
The Conference has as its theme: “Government and Labour Relations Towards Sustainable Growth and Expansion of the Power Sector in Nigeria.”
On Wednesday, the NLC during its Central Working Committee meeting declared a one-day national warning strike over the refusal of the Federal Government to reduce electricity tariff.
The Tide gathered that the strike is aimed at putting pressure on the government to reverse the 45 per cent tariff hike.
Ngige said the issue of the hike in electricity tariff was before the National Assembly and the court, and that the current state of electricity supply has become very worrisome in the country.
“In this regard, the Federal Government is resolved to ensure provision of regular electricity to Nigerians at an affordable rate.
“You are therefore called upon to support the government in its efforts to reposition and expand the power sector in Nigeria for effectiveness. “Every bit of support from each one of you is worthwhile,” he said.
The minister reiterated the commitment of his ministry to provide level playing ground for all trade unions in Nigeria, and assured that government would ensure the protection and promotion of the welfare of workers as a productive force to be reckoned with in economic production.
Ngige said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was committed to productive change and inculcation of sanity in the conduct of government business.
“It is our hope that the change mantra will instill discipline in the entire citizenry of Nigeria and promote transparency, accountability and other governance principles.
“The Trade unions, as partners in progress, should therefore align themselves with the emerging paradigm shift and change mantra of the government by supporting and encouraging the dreams and aspirations of the government,” he said.
Ngige said dialectical relationship between capital and labour should be played down to enable a viable environment for sustainable development of the nation, while also urging the union to be steadfast in the development of the economy.
“That means the growth of the economy largely depends on the extent of regular energy and power supply to drive entrepreneurship,” he added.
In a lecture entitled, “Employers and Labour Relation,” the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, stressed the need for cordial relationship between employers and employees in various sectors of the economy.
He said that employers and employees must play their various parts for the development of the economy and society as a whole.
He said that due to the current down turn in the economy, the Buhari administration could not afford the N18, 000 minimum wage.
Fashola urged the labour movement to have a rethink before going for negotiation for a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers.
“We should negotiate in the content of the reality of our economy as all the states do not receive the same allocation or the standard of living the same,” he said.
In his remarks, TUC President, Bobboi Kaigama, called on the Federal Government to ensure that collective agreements are implemented to avoid industrial dispute in various sectors of the economy.

Oil & Energy

NERC, OYSERC Partner To Strengthen Regulation

Published

7 days ago

February 23, 2026

The Tide

THE Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has stressed the need for strict adherence to due process in operationalizing state electricity regulatory bodies.

It, however, pledged institutional and technical support to the Oyo State Electricity Regulatory Commission (OYSERC).

The Chairman, NERC, Dr Musiliu Oseni, who made the position known while receiving the OYSERC delegation, emphasised that the establishment and take-off of state commissions must align fully with the law setting them up.

Oseni said that the NERC remains committed to partnering with State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERC) to guarantee their institutional stability, operational effectiveness and long-term success.

He insisted that regulatory coordination between federal and state institutions is critical in the evolving electricity market framework, noting that collaboration would help to build strong institutions capable of delivering sustainable outcomes for the sector.

Also speaking, the Acting Chairman, OYSERC and leader of the delegation, Prof. Dahud Kehinde Shangodoyin, said that the visit was aimed at formally introducing the commission’s acting leadership to the NERC and laying the groundwork for a productive working relationship.

Shangodoyin said , the acting members were appointed to provide direction and lay a solid foundation for the commission during its transitional period, pending the appointment of substantive members.

“We are here to formally introduce the acting leadership of OYSERC and to establish a working relationship with NERC as we commence our regulatory responsibilities,” he said.

He acknowledged NERC’s readiness to provide technical and regulatory support, particularly in the area of capacity development, describing the backing as essential for strengthening the commission’s operations at this formative stage.

“We appreciate NERC’s willingness to support us technically and regulatorily, especially in building our capacity during this transition,” he added.

Oil & Energy

NLC Faults FG’s 3trn Dept Payment To GenCos

Published

7 days ago

February 23, 2026

The Tide

The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Association of Power Generation Companies have engaged in a showdown over federal government legacy debt.

NLC president Joe Ajaero has faulted the federal government’s move to give GenCos N3 trillion from the Federation account as repayment for a power sector legacy debt, which amounts to N6.5 trillion.

In a statement on Thursday, Ajaero said the Federal Government proposed the N3 trillion payment and the N6 trillion debt as a heist and grand deception to shortchange the Nigerian people.

“Nigerians cannot and should not continue to pay for darkness,” Ajaero stated.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Power Generation Companies, APGC, Dr. Joy Ogaji, said Ajaero may be ignorant of the true state of things, insisting that the federal government is indebted to GenCos to the tune of N6.5 trillion.

She feared the longstanding conflict could result in the eventual collapse of the country’s power.

According to her, the federal government’s N501 billion issuance of power sector bonds is inadequate to address its accumulated debt.

Oil & Energy

PENGASSAN Rejects Presidential EO On Oil, Gas Revenue Remittance ……… Seeks PIA Review

Published

7 days ago

February 23, 2026

The Tide

The Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria(PENGASSAN) Festus Osifo, has faulted the public explanation surrounding the Federal Government’s recent oil revenue Executive Order(EO).

President of the association, Festus Osifo, argued that claims about a 30 per cent deduction from petroleum sharing contract revenue are misleading.

Recall that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, last Wednesday, February 18, signed the executive order directing that royalty oil, tax oil, profit oil, profit gas, and other revenues due to the Federation under production sharing, profit sharing, and risk service contracts be paid directly into the Federation Account.

The order also scrapped the 30 per cent Frontier Exploration Fund under the PIA and stopped the 30 per cent management fee on profit oil and profit gas retained by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

In his reaction, Osifo, while addressing journalists, in Lagos, Thursday, said the figure being referenced does not represent gross revenue accruing to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

He explained that revenues from production sharing contracts are subject to several deductions before arriving at what is classified as profit oil or profit gas.

Osifo also urged President Bola Tinubu to withdraw his recently signed Presidential Executive Order to Safeguard Federation Oil and Gas Revenues and Provide Regulatory Clarity, 2026.

He warned that the directive undermines the Petroleum Industry Act and could create uncertainty in the oil and gas industry, insisting that any amendment to the existing legal framework must pass through the National Assembly.

Osifo argued that an executive order cannot override a law enacted by the National Assembly, describing the move as setting a troubling precedent.

“Yes, that is what should be done from the beginning. You can review the laws of a land. There is no law that is perfect,” he said.

He added that the President should constitute a team to review the PIA, identify its strengths and weaknesses, and forward proposed amendments to lawmakers.

“When you get revenue from PSC, you have to make some deductibles. You deduct royalties. You deduct tax. You also deduct the cost of cost recovery. Once you have done that, you will now have what we call profit oil or profit gas. Then that is where you now deduct the 30 per cent,” he stated..

According to him, when the deductions are properly accounted for, the 30 per cent being referenced translates to about two per cent of total revenue from the production sharing contracts.

“In effect, that deduction is about two per cent of the revenue of the PLCs,” he added, maintaining that the explanation presented in the public domain did not accurately reflect the structure of the deductions.

Osifo warned that removing the affected portion of the revenue could have operational implications for NNPC Ltd, noting that the funds are used to meet salary obligations and other internal expenses.

“That two per cent is what NNPC uses to pay salaries and meet some of its obligations.The one you are also removing from the midstream and downstream, it is part of what they use in meeting their internal obligations. So as you are removing this, how are they going to pay salaries?” he queried.

Beyond the immediate impact on the company’s workforce, he cautioned that regulatory uncertainty could affect investor confidence in the sector.

“If the international community and investors lose confidence in Nigeria, it has a way of affecting investment. That should be the direction. You don’t put a cow before the horse,” he added.

According to him, stakeholders, including labour unions and industry operators, should be given the opportunity to make inputs at the National Assembly as part of the amendment process saying “That is how laws are refined,”