Workers at the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) have shut down operations across Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa States over unpaid pensions, allowances, and bonuses, plunging the three states into a total blackout, the company has confirmed.
The industrial action, led by the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) and the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), followed disagreements with management over the settlement of outstanding staff entitlements.
Speaking to journalists in Kano on Wednesday, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of KEDCO, Dr. Abubakar Jimeta, said the strike stemmed from unresolved legacy issues inherited from previous management.
“The unions demanded the immediate payment of about ₦500 million, which we described as unrealistic. This led to the picketing and eventual shutdown,” he said.
Dr. Jimeta explained that KEDCO, which was privatised in 2013 and taken over by its current investor, Future Energies Africa, in November 2023, inherited several unresolved employee liabilities. These include pension arrears, unpaid bonuses, and backlogs in staff promotions.
According to him, out of the company’s total workforce of 2,900, about 1,500 employees were recently promoted in a bid to address the long-standing promotion backlog. He added that since assuming office on May 1, 2025, the current management had been engaging with the unions and reached agreements to settle outstanding payments in phases.
“We agreed to pay 19 months of pensions. Out of these, 15 months have been fully paid, leaving four months outstanding,” Dr. Jimeta said.
He disclosed that management recently paid ₦25 million and had committed to clearing the remaining ₦485 million between January and February 2026. He also dismissed claims that death benefits remained unpaid, stating that all outstanding death benefits were fully settled by November 2025.
Dr. Jimeta further noted that a one-month appraisal allowance for 2022, which the unions had raised as an issue, was fully paid as a demonstration of management’s good faith. He added that staff salaries were up to date and that the dispute largely centred on allowances, including 13th-month bonuses for 2019 and 2025.
Describing the shutdown as unfortunate, the KEDCO boss said it had serious social and economic consequences for residents and businesses across the affected states.
“When there is an issue between management and staff, it should not be escalated to affect millions of innocent customers,” he said.
He assured customers that KEDCO was working aggressively to restore power supply and reiterated the company’s commitment to industrial harmony, improved service delivery, and continuous engagement with all stakeholders.
