(MENAFN) A union representative stated that Nigerian electrical workers went on indefinite strike on Wednesday over salary, leaving areas of the continent's most populous country in the dark.
The national strike was organized by the National Union of Electricity Employees to pressure the government to uphold a 2019 deal to pay retired employees of a previous state-owned electricity firm.
“We have shut down all power stations and plants in the country. Our members are right now picketing power stations and installations operated by TCN (Transmission Company of Nigeria),” union leader, Joe Ajaero, informed a news agency.
He said that the walkout would not end until the union's demands were granted, claiming that it has already plunged areas of the nation of some 210 million people into darkness.
Residents have reported power outages since early Wednesday in the Nigerian oil hub of Port Harcourt, the northern city of Kano, and the economic center of Lagos.
Ajaero, though, asserted that the union was prepared to end the conflict and resume regular service.
“We are open to talks,” he stated, highlighting that the power ministry had called for a conference later on Wednesday.
Although Nigeria has access to around 7,000 megawatts of energy, it only distributes less than 4,000 of them, leading to uneven supplies.
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