The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has embarked on a major retrenchment exercise affecting about 800 employees, a move that comes at a time when Nigerians are grappling with rising inflation, a worsening cost of living, and unreliable electricity supply.
The mass layoff, which began on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, is part of a broad internal restructuring effort at the company, which supplies power to the Federal Capital Territory, Kogi, Niger, and Nasarawa States.
According to multiple sources familiar with the development, AEDC management had initially planned to dismiss 1,800 workers, but the figure was later reduced to 800 after a series of tense negotiations with the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC).
One AEDC staff member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed that union pressure forced the company to scale down its original plan. “The management wanted to sack about 1,800 people at once, but the unions intervened. They insisted no one should be laid off, but after several meetings, both sides agreed to a reduced number,” the source said.
The retrenchment has sparked anxiety among remaining staff and fears of further job cuts, as the company continues to implement cost-cutting measures in response to revenue shortfalls, operational inefficiencies, and debts owed by consumers and government agencies.
Neither AEDC’s management nor the electricity workers’ unions have issued an official statement as of press time. However, insiders suggest that the layoffs are part of a broader restructuring strategy aimed at repositioning the company for profitability.
The exercise adds to the growing list of job losses across Nigeria’s power sector, where distribution companies have struggled to meet performance targets since the privatization of the industry in 2013.
As the layoffs take effect, thousands of households across AEDC’s coverage area continue to experience prolonged outages, fluctuating power supply, and mounting electricity bills — a reminder of the deepening challenges facing Nigeria’s energy sector.
