ASUU Warns of Impending Varsity Shutdowns Over Electricity Tariff Hike
ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, has warned that many Nigerian universities may soon shut down due to the rising cost of electricity. Speaking at a national conference in Abuja, Osodeke revealed that while public universities receive only N15 million monthly from the government for overhead costs, some institutions are faced with electricity bills ranging from N200 million to N300 million.
Chris Oyeoku Okafor 
The President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, has raised concerns over the looming shutdown of Nigerian universities due to the sharp rise in electricity tariffs. Speaking at a two-day national conference organized by ASUU in Abuja, Osodeke highlighted the heavy financial burden public universities face, with some institutions spending over N300 million monthly on electricity, despite receiving only N15 million monthly from the federal government for overhead costs.
During the conference, themed "Nigeria in a State of General Crisis: The Search for a New Path to Development," Osodeke emphasized the unsustainable nature of the current funding model, particularly as electricity costs continue to rise. Universities, including the University of Lagos (UNILAG), University of Ibadan (UI), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), are forced to rely heavily on their internally generated revenue (IGR) to cover basic operational costs, including electricity.
Prof. Osodeke stated, "One of the universities is on the brink of closing due to a N300 million electricity bill, while the government allocates just N15 million for running costs." He further criticized the government’s prioritization, pointing out the disparity between funding universities and the allowances allocated to individuals in public office.
The ASUU president called on the government to revisit its funding policies and urged for greater support for public universities to avoid a complete collapse of the educational system.
