Workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), under the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC), shut the gates of the FCTA Secretariat in Abuja on Monday morning. The action, part of the nationwide strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), saw workers block the gates with vehicles, halting access to the premises that house FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and Agriculture and Food Security Minister Senator Abubakar Kyari.
Simultaneously, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) announced that workers deliberately shut down the national power grid as part of the industrial action. The strike, protesting the Federal Government’s proposed ₦60,000 minimum wage, led to a nationwide blackout early on June 3, 2024. TCN spokesperson Ndidi Mbah confirmed that multiple transmission substations were shut down and generating plants forced to cease operations, resulting in high frequency and system instability.
Efforts to recover the grid began at 3:23 AM, focusing on the Shiroro Substation, but the ongoing strike continues to hinder full grid recovery. TCN reassured the public that efforts to stabilize the grid and restore normal electricity transmission are ongoing.