ABU Workers Pen Open Letter to Tinubu Over Severe Electricity Crisis
The letter detailed the severe consequences of previous power disconnections by electricity distribution companies (DisCos), which have left the university's facilities severely affected.
AKACHI NOEL 
Over 40 workers from various faculties and departments at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, have written to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging his intervention in an impending electricity crisis at the institution. The letter, sent on Tuesday, was also copied to the Senate president, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
The workers expressed their concerns as Nigerian citizens and academic staff, highlighting the critical role of electricity in the university’s operations. They emphasized that the recent hike in electricity tariffs has exacerbated the crisis, which ABU and other public universities cannot afford due to chronic underfunding.
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The letter detailed the severe consequences of previous power disconnections by electricity distribution companies (DisCos), which have left the university's facilities severely affected. For instance, a doctoral researcher lost over 1,000 bovine cardiac tissue samples, and many scholars had their microbial cultures destroyed. The campus endured over a month of darkness, leading to significant hardships for staff, students, and their families.
The workers pointed out that ABU’s annual budgetary overhead is approximately N150 million, but the new electricity costs amount to N3.6 billion annually. They warned that transferring this cost to the university’s 50,000 students would require a 500% increase in municipal charges, which is unaffordable for most students.
The letter urged the federal government, which holds a 49% stake in the DisCos and GenCos, to ensure an unrestricted electricity supply to all Nigerian universities in exchange for tax credits. Alternatively, they proposed creating a new, dedicated social tariff band with lower rates for universities.
This appeal highlights the urgent need for government intervention to prevent further disruption of academic activities at ABU and other Nigerian universities due to electricity supply issues.
