The University of Lagos, Akoka, has been disconnected from the power supply by the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) due to unpaid electricity bills, leaving the campus in darkness.
The university has been struggling with increasing electricity costs, which worsened after EKEDC upgraded its tariff category from “Band B” to “Band A”, resulting in a 100% hike in monthly bills. The institution’s management expressed regret over the blackout, which began on Tuesday.
Despite ongoing negotiations and a recent payment of N180 million on August 20, EKEDC disconnected the university’s power supply on August 27 without prior notice. The university’s management described the disconnection as unexpected, stating, “Just two weeks after our meeting, we were hit with a staggering bill of nearly half a billion naira (N472 million) for July, further increasing our debt burden!”
The management assured the university community that efforts are being made to resolve the issue with EKEDC. In the meantime, power supply across the campus will be rationed until further notice. The university has called for calm and is working to restore power as soon as possible.
