Abuja – A coalition of trade unions and civil society organisations has issued a strong call for the Nigerian government to reverse the privatisation of the electricity sector, as well as existing privatisation efforts in the water and waste management sectors.
The demand was made public in a communiqué released at the end of the National Public Utilities Summit held in Abuja.
The summit, themed “Promoting Transparency and Decent Work in Supply Chains in Electricity, Water, and Waste Services in Sub-Saharan Africa,” was convened by Public Services International (PSI) in partnership with DGB Bildungswerk Bund (DGB BW).
It brought together key stakeholders to assess the impact of privatisation on public service delivery and workers’ welfare across critical infrastructure sectors.
Endorsed by the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), and several CSO partners—including Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI), Citizens Free Services Forum (CFSF), Child Health Organisation, and the Union of Kenya Civil Servants (UKCS)—the communiqué paints a grim picture of privatisation’s outcomes.
Stakeholders argued that the privatisation of Nigeria’s electricity sector has failed to deliver on its promises. Despite over N2 trillion in bailout funds being injected into 11 power distribution companies since 2013, the country’s power generation capacity has stagnated at 12,500 megawatts, with no measurable improvement in distribution. Instead, consumers have had to contend with rising tariffs and discriminatory categorisation based on economic status.
In the water sector, privatisation has reportedly led to the exclusion of vulnerable communities, while in the waste sector, it has discouraged unionisation and eroded workers’ rights.
The communiqué highlighted widespread issues, including low wages, wage arrears, job insecurity, casualisation, and a lack of social protection—such as pensions and unemployment insurance—across all three sectors.
“Public revenues have been plundered,” the statement read. “Funds that could have been invested in improving public services have been diverted into private entities that promised investment but delivered little.”
The stakeholders also condemned ongoing and planned negotiations with the World Bank and other international financial institutions regarding further privatisation of public assets.
They urged the government to suspend such talks and instead explore Public-Public Partnerships (PUPs) as a viable, democratic, and equitable alternative.
According to the communiqué, PUPs have demonstrated success globally in delivering quality public services without profit motives. However, the model remains underexplored in Nigeria, with limited awareness and few discussions underway.
To address this gap, the summit called on PSI-DGB to support educational initiatives aimed at familiarising workers and policymakers with the PUP framework.
It also advocated increased investment in human capital within the public sector, including training, motivation, and retention strategies to enhance efficiency and transparency.
Stakeholders emphasised the need for stronger social dialogue and collaboration among civil society, trade unions, and other stakeholders to hold the government accountable and ensure that public services serve the common good.
