UI students protest months-long power outage at UCH Ibadan

Students of the University of Ibadan (UI) in Oyo state staged a peaceful protest over a months-long power outage at the University College Hospital (UCH).

The protesters, on Tuesday, marched from the university campus to the streets of the city with placards to raise the alarm.

The outage, the protesters said, has lasted for more than 80 days.

The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) said in November 2024 that UCH Ibadan was disconnected due to debt.

The outage has disrupted academic activities and student welfare at the teaching hospital where UI medical students are trained.

Led by UI student union president Bolaji Aweda, the students criticised what they described as a “power play” between UCH and IBEDC.

They also called for the implementation of a 50 per cent electricity tariff discount announced for tertiary institutions in 2024.

The students marched to the Oyo state secretariat where they were received by Sunday Odukoya, the executive assistant to the governor on security.

The student leaders warned of intensified action if their demands were not met promptly.

Public tertiary institutions in Nigeria have been increasingly struggling with inadequate power supply and frequent disconnections from the national grid due to mounting electricity debts.

Teaching, research, and campus life in public universities across Nigeria have grappled with spiking electricity tariffs for months.

Erratic power supply often forces them to turn to costly generators to sustain academic and administrative activities.

As a result, teaching hospitals, labs, and other facilities experience blackouts, disrupting academic schedules and research activities.