Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has fiercely criticized the service-based electricity tariff system, labeling it as exploitative and discriminatory. This tariff assigns users to bands like A and B based on services received, a system Ajaero describes as “the highest level of fraud.” During a Channels Television interview, Ajaero questioned the logic of migrating customers between bands, saying such practices unfairly divide users while enriching service providers.
Adebayo Adelabu, Nigeria’s Minister of Power, claimed that 90% of Band A customers benefit from better electricity services and hinted at plans to migrate more users into this category. However, Ajaero challenged the basis for such classifications, asking whether they were determined by location or provider discretion. He also argued that the focus should be on delivering uninterrupted power supply to all citizens rather than creating divisions through arbitrary bands.
Additionally, Ajaero condemned provisions in the 2025 budget that allocate funds to private power companies. He argued that these companies should fund their operations independently, insisting that government resources would be better spent addressing national priorities instead of subsidizing private enterprises.