The Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress Monday brought the nation to a standstill after calling an indefinite strike over the Federal government reluctance to meet its minimum wage demands.
There was a nationwide blackout and most airports, businesses were shut down.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said union members drove operators away at the country’s power control rooms and shut down at least six substations, eventually shutting the national grid at 02:19 am (0119 GMT).
Electricity and aviation unions said in a statement on Monday they had directed members to withdraw their services in compliance with the indefinite strike.
The oil unions also threatened to halt oil production, but Nigeria’s oil regulator chief Gbenga Komolafe said contingencies were in place to ensure output was not disrupted by the strike.
Unions declared an indefinite strike on Friday after talks for a new minimum wage meant to cushion the impact of reforms collapsed. They said the strike would last until a new minimum wage was in place.
Unions have also demanded a reversal of an electricity tariff hike effected last month for better-off consumers who use the most power, as the government tries to wean the economy off subsidies. With agency reports
