Labour Unions, CSOs demand reversal of power and utilities Privatisation in Nigeria

Labour unions and civil society groups have called for the reversal of privatisation across electricity, water, and waste management sectors, due the failures to protect the public interest. The demand came at the close of the 2025 National Public Utilities Summit in Abuja.
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The communiqué issued at the summit brought together key stakeholders, including Comrade Alo Lawrence of AUPCTRE and Comrade Opaluwa Simeon of NUEE, who argued that privatisation policies have compromised service quality and accessibility.
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Representatives from the Citizens Free Service Forum and other CSOs also lent their support, urging the federal government to suspend any ongoing privatisation talks with international financial institutions such as the World Bank.
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The forum pointed to successful initiatives like the Lagos–Kebbi rice farming and milling project (LAKE Rice), which benefits citizens directly through cooperative public sector engagement.
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Participants stressed the need for increased investment in the training and welfare of workers in the public sector, in order to boost efficiency and innovation without profit-driven motives.
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The summit concluded with a call for strengthened social dialogue between government, unions, and civil society to enforce accountability and transparency.