As Nigeria marks its 66th Independence Anniversary, the Osun Civil Societies Coalition (OCSC) has strongly urged the Federal Government to rethink its proposed plan to completely phase out the electricity subsidy by 2027. The group warned that removing the subsidy would place unbearable pressure on households, workers, traders, farmers, artisans, and micro-businesses already struggling under the heavy weight of escalating costs for food, housing, and transportation. 

In a poignant Independence Day statement signed by its Chairman, Waheed Lawal, the coalition argued that national independence must mean more than mere political freedom. The OCSC stressed that true self-governance must translate into economic dignity, rapid social development, improved living conditions, and universal access to basic essential services for ordinary citizens.

According to the coalition, any substantial hike in electricity tariffs will directly increase manufacturing production costs, severely reduce the disposable income of average families, and threaten the survival of small and medium-sized enterprises. The group maintained that for a developing economy, reliable electricity must be coupled with affordability to drive meaningful growth.

Consequently, the OCSC urged the Federal Government to prioritize resolving the deeply entrenched structural challenges within the electricity sector before contemplating subsidy withdrawal. Specifically, the group highlighted technical and commercial losses, widespread electricity theft, inadequate infrastructure, insufficient metering, estimated billing, and revenue leakages as areas requiring urgent remediation.

Furthermore, the coalition called for absolute transparency from the government regarding the financial basis of the proposed 2027 phase-out. They demanded that Nigerians be given full access to detailed information regarding the annual cost of the subsidy, projected savings, and the exact expected effects of the policy on future electricity tariffs.

The statement also challenged the administration to explicitly disclose the anticipated impact of the policy change on vulnerable populations, including manufacturers and small-scale farmers. The OCSC insisted that the government must openly declare what safety nets and protective measures are being introduced to shield fragile consumer classes from the impending economic shock.

While the coalition acknowledged and commended the Federal Government and the Minister of Power, Chief Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, for recent visible improvements in electricity supply within Osun State and other parts of the country, it insisted that these gains must be consolidated. The group concluded by reminding leaders that Nigerians deserve a country where political freedom is matched by economic opportunity and a standard of living that reflects human dignity.