By Abbas Nazil
A university don has called on the Federal Government to terminate the contracts of all investors in the power sector, citing persistent failures in electricity supply since privatization in 2013.
He also strongly opposed the government’s plans to privatize the water sector, warning that it could result in a crisis similar to the “epileptic” power situation Nigerians face today.
Speaking to journalists during a Public Service International (PSI) programme in Kano themed “Promoting Transparency and Decent Work in Supply Chains in Electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa,” Mande stressed that both electricity and water sectors require a complete overhaul.
He argued that privatization of electricity has not improved supply, pointing to multiple national grid collapses since 2013.
According to him, from 2023 to date, there have been about five national grid collapses, three in 2024, and up to six in 2025, yet there has been no significant value addition to meet the needs of Nigerians.
The don urged trade unions and other stakeholders to unite against water sector privatization to prevent a repeat of the failures in the power sector.
He lamented that despite being basic public services, electricity, water, and waste management have been handed to private investors without delivering promised improvements.
Mande criticized the lack of consultation with trade unions during privatization processes, describing it as a major cause of the current challenges.
He noted that Nigerians are frustrated, as privatization has failed to ensure stable electricity supply or proper metering, with many consumers still without meters to measure and verify their consumption.
He emphasized that the government has the resources and capacity to manage these sectors effectively, arguing that public ownership would allow for better control, maintenance, and efficiency.
Supporting his position, Comrade Ayuba Barde, the Zonal Organising Secretary, North West, representing the National Union of Electricity Employees, described electricity privatization as having had a negative impact on the country and its citizens from the outset.
He recalled that before the policy was implemented, the union had warned that privatization would harm Nigerians in the long term, but their concerns were dismissed as self-serving.
Barde said that now Nigerians can see the results for themselves, with supply remaining unreliable and tariffs increasing.
He accused private investors of focusing solely on profit rather than reinvesting in the system to improve services.
Both Mande and Barde concluded that the only sustainable way forward is for the government to reclaim ownership of these sectors, invest in infrastructure, and prioritize the welfare of citizens over private profit.
