The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has laid off about 800 employees as part of what it described as an “ongoing rightsizing process.”
The mass retrenchment, which began on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, comes amid rising inflation, worsening living costs, and persistent power supply challenges across the country.
According to The Punch, the decision followed months of internal restructuring within the utility company, which serves the Federal Capital Territory, Kogi, Niger, and Nasarawa States.
Multiple sources within the company disclosed that management had initially proposed to sack 1,800 workers, but the figure was reduced to 800 after tense negotiations with the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC).
A sample of the disengagement letter, titled “Notification of Disengagement from Service,” and signed by AEDC’s Chief Human Resources Officer, Adeniyi Adejola, confirmed that affected employees would receive their entitlements after completing the exit clearance process.
The letter stated in part:
“We regret to inform you that your services with the company will no longer be required, effective November 5, 2025. This decision follows the outcome of the company’s ongoing rightsizing exercise… Completion of the exit clearance process is required before payment of final entitlements.”
When contacted, AEDC’s Head of Customer Experience, Kenechukwu Ofili, confirmed the development, describing it as a routine exercise and assuring that a formal statement would be issued soon.
The mass layoff highlights the deepening crisis in Nigeria’s power sector, which continues to struggle with low investment, weak infrastructure, and poor cost recovery despite over a decade of reforms.