By Ramatu Garba

The Management of Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) said the total blackout in Kano and Katsina States as well as Jigawa was caused by an industrial action by its two in-house unions over unresolved legacy issues.

The form has however assured its customers that frantic efforts were ongoing to restore power.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of KEDCO, Dr. Abubakar Jimeta, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on Wednesday in Kano, following the shutdown of the company’s headquarters and power feeders by electricity workers.

NAN reports that members of the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) and the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) shut down operations, leading to a total power outage across the states.

He said the action followed disagreements over the timing of payments of some outstanding liabilities inherited by the company from previous managements.

According to Jimeta, KEDCO was privatised in 2013 and taken over by its current core investor, Future Energies Africa, in November 2023, inheriting several legacy issues including pension arrears, promotions and unpaid bonuses.

He explained, “We have a total staff of 2,900 staff out of which 1,500 people were promoted to close the backlog.”

Jimeta explained that since his assumption of office on May 1, 2025, the management had engaged the unions and reached agreements on settling arrears in phases.

“We agreed to pay 19 months of pensions. Out of these 15 have been fully paid, leaving four outstanding

“In our meeting yesterday, we told them we will pay it, it was due to some sudden financial challenges.

“We paid N25 million yesterday and we said between January and February 2026 we will pay the remaining N485 million,” the CEO said.

Jimeta dismissed claims that death benefits had not been paid, saying all outstanding death benefits were 100 per cent fully settled by November 2025.

He added that an outstanding one-month appraisal allowance for 2022, raised by the unions, had been paid in full on Tuesday to demonstrate management’s good faith.

The KEDCO boss said the major disagreement arose when the unions demanded payment of about N500 million within a few hours, a condition he described as unrealistic.

“We proposed that the outstanding liabilities, amounting to about N500 million, be paid between January and February.

“Unfortunately, they insisted it must be paid between yesterday evening and midnight, which led to the picketing and shutdown,” he said.

Jimeta stressed that salaries of KEDCO staff were up to date, noting that the dispute was over allowances, including 13th-month bonuses for 2019 and 2025.

He described the shutdown of electricity supply as unfortunate, saying that it had serious social and economic consequences for residents and businesses.

“This is my personal opinion as a citizen. When there is an issue between management and staff, it should not be escalated to affect millions of innocent customers across three states,” he said.

The managing director assured customers that management, the board and investors were intensifying engagements to resolve the dispute.

“We are working aggressively to ensure that this situation does not go beyond today,” he said.

Jimeta also highlighted investments made by the company since the takeover, including the construction of a N1.3 billion 33kV feeder to supply the Dawanau grain market, which now enjoys up to 24 hours of electricity supply.

He reiterated KEDCO’s commitment to service delivery, industrial harmony and continuous engagement with all stakeholders to ensure stable power supply in its franchise areas. (NAN)