The Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) Plc has announced a salary increase for all its employees following an agreement reached with two recognised labour unions.
The salary adjustment, which takes effect from December 1, was disclosed in a statement issued by the company’s management in Benin on Sunday.
The agreement followed negotiations between BEDC management, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) on November 6.
The meeting was led by BEDC’s Acting Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Jonathan Lawani. SSAEAC was represented by its Deputy General Secretary, Comrade Innocent Lord-Douglas, while Comrade Mbang Ntukubes represented NUEE.
Lawani said the successful conclusion of negotiations, which commenced in March, demonstrated management’s commitment to employee welfare and improved organisational performance.
“The successful conclusion of this joint negotiation and review process reflects our shared commitment to staff welfare and the overall performance of BEDC,” he said.
However, he described the recent industrial action embarked upon by workers as avoidable, noting that it resulted in revenue losses, reputational damage and hardship for electricity consumers.
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Lawani expressed regret that the strike occurred before the agreed deadline for concluding negotiations, as reaffirmed at the October 7 meeting.
He also explained that BEDC’s approved operational expenditure framework had remained largely unchanged since 2013, despite rising operating costs and prevailing economic realities.
According to him, the company’s access to its full approved operational expenditure allocation depends on meeting specified revenue collection performance targets, while failure to meet the thresholds results in reduced allocations.
The management said the situation highlighted the company’s financial constraints and the need to balance employees’ welfare with business sustainability.
BEDC commended the leadership of NUEE and SSAEAC for their cooperation and constructive engagement in reaching an amicable resolution.
The company also reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, mutual respect and industrial harmony, describing employee welfare as a key component of its transformation agenda.
It added that the agreement marked a step towards strengthening trust, collaboration and shared responsibility between management and organised labour.
