The management of University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan is locked in an ongoing dispute with the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) over alleged over-billing and frequent power outages that have disrupted hospital operations.
UCH officials say they are being unfairly charged under the highest tariff band, Band A, and claim to have been over-billed despite efforts to meet their financial obligations. Last month, the hospital paid N60 million towards its electricity bill, only to have the power company disconnect its supply once again.
Professor Jesse Otegbayo, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of UCH, expressed frustration with IBEDC, accusing the company of refusing to accommodate the hospital’s unique role as a public health institution. “We have been making efforts to pay. IBEDC forced us into Band A. Our latest bill for one month was N99 million. We paid N60 million, but they still refused to reconnect us,” Otegbayo said.
The hospital management also revealed that IBEDC had issued a total bill of N723 million from January 2019 to November 2024, of which the hospital has already paid approximately N677 million. Despite these payments, UCH has faced repeated disconnections throughout the year due to what IBEDC claims are unpaid accumulated debts.
In a memo dated November 5, UCH acknowledged the challenges caused by the ongoing power cuts, describing the situation as “chaotic and unbearable.” However, the hospital assured the public that efforts were underway to restore power to the facility. In the meantime, alternative power sources, including generators and solar panels, have been deployed to critical areas such as operating theatres and intensive care units.
Patients’ families have voiced their anger at the persistent power outages, which they say are putting lives at risk. Last week, families staged protests, citing instances where medical procedures were delayed or interrupted due to erratic power supply. One protestor said, “We are tired of seeing our loved ones suffer. Patients are dying because they cannot receive the medical tests needed for treatment.”
However, UCH management has dismissed these claims, stating that the hospital’s essential services, including emergency care and surgery, remain unaffected by the power cuts. In an official statement, UCH labeled the reports as “false and misleading,” assuring that critical departments are operating as usual with backup power systems in place.
This situation at UCH is not isolated. Similar issues are affecting other public institutions across the region. The University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED) in Ondo was also disconnected from the national grid for over two months due to billing discrepancies. UNIMED management discovered that they were being over-billed by Benin Electricity Distribution Company (Benin Disco), with monthly bills more than triple their actual consumption. The institution took legal action, which led to a temporary resolution, but the situation remains unresolved.
UCH’s ongoing battle with IBEDC underscores the growing challenges faced by public health and educational institutions in Nigeria, which often struggle with over-billing, erratic power supply, and inadequate infrastructure. While the state government has intervened in some cases, these issues continue to disrupt essential services and compromise the quality of care at hospitals.
As the dispute between UCH and IBEDC continues, patients and staff alike are left to cope with the uncertainty surrounding the availability of consistent electricity in one of Nigeria’s foremost healthcare institutions.
