The Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU) has indicated that Nigerian universities may soon charge students an additional N80,000 annually to cope with the surging electricity tariffs imposed on these institutions.

In a recent interview with Punch, the Secretary-General of the CVCNU, Prof Yakubu Ochefu, revealed that the cost of electricity for universities has skyrocketed, leaving them unable to cover the expenses.

Prof Ochefu highlighted that universities, which previously paid around N1 billion annually for electricity, now face a staggering increase to N4 billion per year. This steep rise has created a financial strain on the universities, which are already struggling with limited budgets.

“If the Federal Government doesn’t step in to rescue the universities, the costs will be transferred to students as user charges, amounting to N80,000 per student. Alternatively, universities will have to limit their operations to four hours a day,” Ochefu explained.

He cited the University of Benin (UNIBEN) as an example, where the institution runs a generator for just four hours daily at N60 million per month. This limited operation is unsustainable for maintaining essential services like libraries, internet access, and laboratory facilities.

Vice-chancellors have appealed to the Federal Government for intervention, requesting a concessionary rate or a reversion to the previous electricity tariff. Despite their efforts, there has been no response yet from the government.

Prof Ochefu stated, “The charges presented before us are unrealistic. Universities can’t afford to pay N200 million or N300 million monthly for electricity. The Federal Government needs to reconsider this decision. We have written to the President, requesting a concessionary rate or a return to the previous rate based on the funding provided by the FG to universities.”

In April 2024, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) increased the electricity tariff for Band A customers from N68/KWh to N225/KWh, a 300 percent increment. This policy has led to exorbitant bills for universities like Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria and the University of Benin, both receiving monthly bills averaging N300 million under the Band A tariff.

Due to the inability to afford these costs, some universities, including UNIBEN, have faced disconnection from the national grid. Prof Lilian Salami, the Vice-Chancellor of UNIBEN, confirmed the disconnection, emphasizing the financial challenges imposed by the new tariff system.

The CVCNU continues to advocate for government intervention to alleviate the financial burden on universities and prevent additional costs from being transferred to students.