FOR OVER three months, Nigeria’s premier teaching hospital, the University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan, remained in total darkness, a situation that has raised pressing questions about the sustainability of power supply to critical national institutions.
It took the direct intervention of the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, to broker a deal between the hospital management and the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), leading to an agreement that power would be restored to the clinical section within 24 to 48 hours.
The Explainer gathered that UCH was disconnected from the national grid in October 2024 due to outstanding electricity bills, a situation that escalated into a full-blown crisis as medical operations and student activities ground to a halt. Protests erupted, with students of the University of Ibadan, led by their union president, Aweda Bolaji, demanding an end to the suffering caused by the prolonged outage.
The Explainer notes that the power cut at UCH was not an isolated incident but part of a larger financial challenge facing federal teaching hospitals. In November 2024, the UCH management confirmed that IBEDC had deliberately disconnected its supply over a debt of approximately N400 million, which is part of a staggering N3.1 billion accumulated electricity bill since 2019.
Hospitals require an uninterrupted power supply to run life-saving equipment, operate surgical theatres, and maintain critical care units. The Explainer gathered that UCH had been relying on generators for essential services, leading to increased operational costs and straining an already fragile healthcare budget. According to a 2023 report by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), hospitals and other critical institutions account for a significant portion of unpaid electricity bills, largely due to underfunding and bureaucratic delays in government allocations.
While the crisis played out between UCH and IBEDC, students at the University of Ibadan took to the streets, carrying placards with messages such as “+100 Days of Darkness: Save UCH” and “Medical School Is Hard Enough—Give Us Light”. The protest underscored the frustration of students who have had to study under extreme conditions.
The Explainer gathered that the students’ union president, Aweda Bolaji, voiced their concerns directly to the Minister, demanding immediate reconnection and a sustainable power solution. “Honourable Minister, you are standing before 36,000 UI students. We are here to register our displeasure and ask why you have decided to do this to the heritage of Ibadan. The greatest medical institution in Nigeria has experienced a blackout for over 101 days,” he said.
Beyond power restoration, students called for the implementation of a 50% tariff reduction promised last year and a broader reform of the electricity supply to the hospital.
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Following a closed-door meeting with the hospital management and IBEDC, Chief Adelabu assured that electricity would be restored within 24 to 48 hours. He described the situation as an embarrassment to both UCH and the Federal Government, adding that the crisis had highlighted deep-seated issues in the power sector that must be urgently addressed.
“That we have come here today means we are committed to finding a lasting solution. Do you think I will be happy when the premier hospital in Ibadan is in darkness?” the Minister stated.
The Explainer gathered that beyond the immediate reconnection, the Minister also facilitated a truce between IBEDC and UCH to prevent future disconnections due to unresolved financial disputes. Plans are underway for a comprehensive power distribution analysis and the introduction of a solar-powered mini-grid to supplement the electricity supply and reduce reliance on the national grid.
UCH is not the only teaching hospital facing power challenges. The Explainer notes that institutions such as the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) have also struggled with unreliable power supply due to mounting debts.
While students welcomed the promise of power restoration, some remained sceptical, demanding a clear timeline and firm commitments to avoid future occurrences. Some have even threatened to stage another protest if electricity is not fully restored by Thursday.
The prolonged blackout at UCH reflects broader issues plaguing Nigeria’s power sector, including high electricity tariffs, funding gaps, and poor infrastructure. The hospital’s N3.1 billion debt is part of a larger pattern of institutional arrears that have left power distribution companies struggling with revenue shortfalls.
According to a 2024 report by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), government institutions, including hospitals, account for a significant portion of unpaid electricity bills nationwide. A 2023 review of the Federal Ministry of Health’s budget revealed that while funds were allocated for hospital equipment and staff salaries, there was no clear provision for utility payments, leaving hospitals like UCH vulnerable to disconnection.
