The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the Federal Government to merge the Ministries of Power and Petroleum Resources into a single Ministry of Energy. This demand comes in response to ongoing inefficiencies in Nigeria’s energy sector, which the NLC argues are exacerbated by the current separation of these critical ministries.

Joe Ajaero, the President of the NLC, emphasized that the existing structure has led to significant operational challenges, particularly in gas supply for thermal power generation. He stated, “Electricity is a social service and a fundamental right, not a luxury commodity to be traded on the various capitalists’ markets.” This statement underscores the NLC’s position that access to electricity should be viewed as a basic human right rather than a privilege.

The NLC’s criticism extends to the proposed ₦6 trillion bailout for power generation companies, which they describe as a mere symptom of deeper structural failures in the power sector. Ajaero remarked, “We cannot continue to deploy public funds to sustain a fundamentally flawed system, while ordinary citizens bear the burden of inefficiency through high tariffs and persistent outages.” This sentiment reflects widespread frustration among citizens regarding the ongoing power crisis.

Supporting their claims, the NLC pointed out that 16 out of 33 power plants are currently offline due to gas supply cuts, which have resulted in unpaid debts amounting to ₦3 trillion. The current output of power generation stands between 3,700 and 4,000 MW, while the installed capacity exceeds 13,000 MW. This stark contrast highlights the inefficiencies that the NLC believes a merger could address.

Ajaero further criticized the 2013 privatization of the power sector, asserting that it has failed to improve generation capacity. He argued that the merger of the ministries would enable holistic energy planning and fairer electricity pricing, ultimately benefiting consumers and the economy as a whole.

The NLC has called for a halt to the proposed bailout and urged the government to convene a National Stakeholders’ Summit to discuss the future of Nigeria’s energy sector. The organization believes that without significant structural changes, the power sector will continue to stagnate, adversely affecting the manufacturing sector and overall national development.

As discussions around the merger and the proposed bailout continue, the NLC’s demands highlight the urgent need for reform in Nigeria’s energy policies. Details remain unconfirmed regarding the government’s response to these proposals and the potential for a National Stakeholders’ Summit.

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The Nigerian government plans to abolish the National Common Entrance Examination, a significant shift in the country’s educational framework. This reform will introduce a Learner Identification Number (LIN) system aimed at tracking pupils throughout their academic journey.

According to Tunji Alausa, a representative of the Nigerian government, the Common Entrance Examination will be replaced by Continuous Assessment (CA). “The CA will reflect the performance of the pupil from primary one,” Alausa stated, emphasizing the importance of continuous evaluation over a single examination.

Currently, Nigeria has over 50,000 public primary schools with more than 23 million pupils enrolled. However, only a little over 3 million pupils transition to junior secondary school from these public primary institutions. This leaves approximately 20 million pupils not enrolled in public secondary schools, highlighting a significant gap in educational access.

The government’s focus on improving access to education is evident in its plans to implement the LIN system starting at the primary level. This initiative aims to provide better tracking of pupils and identify those who are not progressing in their education. Alausa noted, “If someone is expected to be in JSS1 and he is not there, we will be able to know the reason why he is not continuing his education.”

In addition to the LIN system, the government is collaborating with state governments to build more schools, addressing the issue of inadequate educational infrastructure. Efforts are also underway to revive the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, which aims to support student retention and performance.

The Common Entrance Examination has historically governed the transition from primary to secondary school in Nigeria. The upcoming changes reflect a broader effort by the government to enhance educational outcomes and ensure that more pupils have the opportunity to continue their studies.

As these reforms are set to take effect, observers are keen to see how the LIN system will impact enrollment and educational attainment across the country. Details remain unconfirmed regarding the exact timeline for the implementation of these changes.

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