The management of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (AEFUTHA) in Ebonyi State has decried what it describes as an "outrageous, unjustifiable, and unsustainable" electricity bill of ₦107,006,620.72 issued by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) for the month of December 2025. The hospital's Director of Administration, Mr. Calistus Azubike Okonkwo, raised the concern during a press briefing on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, at the hospital complex in Abakaliki, urging the public, regulatory bodies, and stakeholders to intervene to avert a potential crisis in healthcare delivery.
Okonkwo, speaking on behalf of the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Robinson Chukwudi Onoh, detailed a troubling escalation in billing patterns. He revealed that the December bill marks a sharp surge from ₦71,547,854.77 in November 2025 and represents a staggering increase from the ₦26.5 million recorded in January 2025. This upward trajectory, he noted, contrasts sharply with historical data, where monthly bills in 2023 and 2024 remained consistently below ₦20 million.
"A review of the hospital’s electricity billing pattern over the past twelve months reveals a disturbing and consistent upward trajectory," Okonkwo stated. "Bills issued by EEDC increased from ₦26.5 million in January to ₦71.5 million in November, before surging to ₦107 million in December—a 300% increase in some periods."
Despite the hospital's consistent payment of bills to ensure uninterrupted services, the current charges have reached a "breaking point," according to management. If unchecked, AEFUTHA could face annual electricity costs exceeding ₦1 billion, diverting critical funds from patient care, medical training, research, and public health initiatives.
The situation is compounded by recent industrial actions that reduced hospital activities. In October 2025, the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) embarked on a strike, followed by an indefinite action by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) starting November 14, 2025. These disruptions significantly lowered energy consumption, with many departments operating at minimal capacity.
"Surprisingly, despite this marked reduction in hospital activities, AEFUTHA’s electricity bill jumped from ₦71.5 million in November to ₦107 million in December," Okonkwo highlighted. "This outrageous increase raises serious questions about the basis upon which EEDC arrived at the tariff, especially in the face of reduced operations and lower electricity consumption."
AEFUTHA operates as a life-saving tertiary institution with 24/7 critical facilities, including intensive care units (ICUs), neonatal units, operating theatres, diagnostic laboratories, and emergency services. Any power disruption or financial strain from exorbitant bills could endanger patients' lives, as "lives lost due to power failure cannot be restored," Okonkwo emphasized.
The hospital management expressed deep concerns over the billing methodology, particularly for unmetered accounts, and demanded an immediate audit of EEDC's system for accuracy and transparency. As a non-profit public institution, AEFUTHA is committed to paying fair and verifiable bills but argues that the current amounts exceed its sustainable capacity without compromising core mandates.
In its appeal, the hospital called on EEDC, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Federal Ministry of Power, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Ebonyi State Government, and other authorities to urgently review its tariff classification and adopt a more equitable structure suited to public tertiary healthcare facilities. Management specifically requested a downward revision of monthly bills to below ₦20 million, aligning with pre-2025 patterns, and a waiver on outstanding arrears, while pledging prompt settlement of verified future bills.
This outcry adds to a growing chorus of complaints from Nigerian teaching hospitals facing crippling electricity costs amid Band A tariff implementations and post-subsidy removal hikes. Earlier in 2025, similar concerns were raised about escalating bills straining operational budgets nationwide.
AEFUTHA remains dedicated to accountability and quality healthcare, convening the press briefing to advocate for the public interest and prevent exorbitant utility costs from undermining essential services for Ebonyi residents and beyond. The management expressed appreciation for media support and vowed to pursue amicable resolution.
As Nigeria grapples with energy sector challenges, including distribution inefficiencies and tariff disputes, cases like AEFUTHA's underscore the vulnerability of critical public infrastructure. Stakeholders await responses from EEDC and regulators to address these grievances and ensure sustainable power supply for healthcare delivery.
