The Education Writers’ Association of Nigeria (EWAN) is set to address the crippling electricity crisis in the country’s educational institutions at its annual summit, scheduled for tomorrow, October 23, at the Professor Tolu Odugbemi Hall, University of Lagos.
The summit, now in its fifth edition, will convene key stakeholders from the power, education and health sectors to discuss the impact of soaring electricity tariffs and mounting unpaid bills, which have severely affected educational institutions across the country.
The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, and the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, will lead the discussions and propose actionable strategies for lasting reform.
According to a statement issued and signed by the Secretary of the Organising Committee, Christiana Akande, and the Chairperson of the Publicity Subcommittee, Elizabeth Osayande, the Minister of Power will deliver the keynote address on the theme: ‘High Tariffs: Resolving the Electricity Crisis in Nigeria’s Education Institutions’, while the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Architect Sonny Echono, will present a paper titled: ‘Refocusing Support for Nigeria’s Tertiary Institutions.’
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, will host the summit, with Professor Tahir Mamman and the Minister of Health, Professor Mohammad Pate, serving as the event’s chair and co-chair, respectively.
Panelists at the summit include: the Chairman/CEO of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Engineer Sanusi Garba; the Acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Dr. Chris Maiyaki; the Chairman of the Forum of Chief Managing Directors of Nigerian Teaching Hospitals, Professor Emem Bassey; and the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Professor Paulinus Chijioke Ekwelle.
Others on the panel include Professor Kabiru Adeyemo, Chairman of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Registrars of Private Universities; Chief Sunday Oduntan, Managing Director/CEO of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED); and Otunba Yomi Otubela, National President of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS).
Critical stakeholders, including the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida; the President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Emmanuel Osodeke; the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund), Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr; the National President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim; and the National Presidents of both the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Comrades Shammah Kpanja and Smart Olugbeko will also discuss the presentation by the TETFund Executive Secretary at the summit.
The summit will also feature discussions on how to align Nigeria’s tertiary education system with these global advancements, with participation from Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), among others.
Speaking on the significance of the summit, EWAN Chairman, Mojeed Alabi, emphasised the urgent need to address electricity debts in educational institutions across the country.
He noted that universities like Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), and others are struggling with huge unpaid electricity bills, leading to frequent disconnections. He referenced Babcock University’s recent N300million electricity bill and ABU’s N2billion debt, stressing that these issues have reached critical levels requiring immediate attention.
“It is well-known that universities across the country, from the University of Benin to Ahmadu Bello University, the University of Nigeria, Obafemi Awolowo University, and the University of Lagos among others are grappling with unresolved electricity bills and frequent power disconnections by privatised electricity distribution companies. This crisis has escalated to an alarming level, demanding urgent intervention.
“Recently, Babcock University, Nigeria’s pioneer private university, revealed a staggering N300 million electricity bill for May alone, while at one point, Ahmadu Bello University’s debt exceeded N2 billion. The situation is even more dire in our teaching hospitals. The consequences of this are devastating for the country. Only by ensuring quality and affordable education and healthcare can we truly tackle the complex challenges facing Nigeria,” Alabi said, stressing that global trends in education demand a shift from building large infrastructures to focusing on technology-driven solutions that enhance competitiveness.
EWAN, therefore, invites all stakeholders, including policymakers, education professionals, organisations, and student leaders, to participate in the summit and contribute to the discourse aimed at resolving these pressing challenges in Nigeria’s education system.
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