At the 2024 Education Writers’ Association of Nigeria (EWAN) summit, stakeholders have called for the reinstatement of subsidies in the power sector especially within tertiary institutions.
Chief Sunday Oduntan, Managing Director and CEO of the Association of Nigeria Electricity Distributors (ANED), made an urgent call for the Nigerian government to reinstate the 67% electricity subsidies for tertiary institutions.
Speaking at the event held at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Oduntan emphasized that these subsidies should be paid directly to Distribution Companies (DISCOs) to address the rising cost of power in the education sector.
“Following the removal of subsidies and the continuous depreciation of the naira, institutions have been severely affected. We need the government to restore those 67% subsidies, and they must go directly to the DISCOs to avoid any unnecessary intermediaries,” Oduntan stated.
He also expressed concern for students and staff struggling with rising tariffs, underscoring the need for immediate financial intervention.
The issue of electricity tariffs has been at the forefront of debates, especially as Nigeria seeks to resolve its ongoing power crisis.
“We have given Nigerians power, but the complaints about high tariffs remain constant. Only 16 percent of users are in Band A, and for institutions to upgrade to this band, a minimum of 20 percent supply must be maintained,” Oduntan noted.
Otunba Yomi Otubela, National President of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) echoed his sentiments. He stressed the importance of focusing on improving the consistency of power supply rather than merely the cost.
“Institutions should have the autonomy to select their band based on their needs. The indifference to the ongoing power crisis must end if we want to improve the quality of education in Nigeria,” Abdul argued.
The conversation then shifted to the wider implications of the energy crisis on education. Mojeed Alabi, Chairman of EWAN, noted that the summit, themed “High Tariffs: Resolving Electricity Crisis in Nigeria’s Education Institutions,” aimed to find practical solutions for the sector.
“The government must have the political will to invest in affordable power supply from the basic to the tertiary level of education. Research-based solutions should guide us out of this crisis,” Alabi said.
Professor Folashade Ogunsola, Vice Chancellor of UNILAG, highlighted the financial strain on universities and other educational institutions, many of which are in debt due to accumulating power tariffs.
“Education is fundamental to national development, and it should be spared the agony of unstable and expensive power supply. We cannot continue to deliver evidence-based knowledge to Nigerians when institutions are burdened by enormous electricity bills,” she said.
She praised EWAN for gathering experts to propose sustainable solutions and expressed optimism that recommendations from the summit would reach the appropriate channels for action.
Minister of State for Education, Yusuf Sununu, echoed similar hopes for progress, noting the government’s ongoing efforts through public-private partnerships to address the energy crisis.
“We are engaging with private partners to bring lasting solutions, especially within our school systems,” Sununu explained in a prerecorded message.
In their goodwill messages, key players such as Ibraheem Abdul, Rector of Yaba College of Technology; Opeyemi Sulola of Revocube Energies; and Niyi Sumonu, National Chairman of the Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA), all emphasized the need for collaborative solutions.
Abdul called for stakeholder collaboration with a focus on research-driven approaches from tertiary institutions.
Sulola pointed to innovative energy solutions like solar-powered grids as an answer to the current crisis, while Sumonu stressed the urgency of the matter, stating, “For tertiary institutions to continue producing world-class professionals, the power crisis must be resolved immediately.”
As the summit concluded, there was a clear consensus: solving the power crisis in Nigeria’s education sector requires immediate government action, cross-sector collaboration, and innovative approaches to reduce costs while ensuring a stable and reliable energy supply for institutions across the country.
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