President Bola Tinubu-led government has said that his administration is ready to provide electricity subsidies for universities and health institutions, even if they are under Band A feeders. Adebayo Adelabu, the minister of power, announced the plan while appearing on a radio programme in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, on Saturday, August 17......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
Why Tinubu will pay electricity subsidies for universities
This move followed complaints from universities that the removal of the electricity subsidy threatened education in Nigeria. Public hospitals that were under the Band A feeders also complained.
Several institutions, including the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and Lagos University Teaching Hospital, have reported significant increases in their electricity bills.
The Federal University of Technology, Akure, and the University of Benin have also seen their bills rise substantially.
The Minister acknowledged that universities and hospitals are struggling to pay their bills and described them as “development institutions” and “social institutions”.
Tinubu gives conditions to pay subsidies
However, Adelabu emphasized that the government will only subsidize electricity for institutions that are properly metered and not for private businesses operating within them.
He says that the government is compiling data to ensure that only eligible institutions receive the subsidy. After the distribution companies (DisCos) collect a certain amount, the institutions will pay the balance of their electricity bills.
His comment reads in part:
“We said no, go and do a proper search and meter everybody. For the ones that are properly health and education-related, we are ready to subsidise them, even if they are on Band A.”
Tinubu laments Nigeria’s poor electricity
Legit earlier reported that President Tinubu had lamented the low electricity generation for a country as big as Nigeria.
The president said it was disappointing that a big country like Nigeria was generating only 4.5 gigawatts, which was not sufficient.
Tinubu’s lamentation came hours after the electricity distribution company announced an upward review of electricity tariffs in the country.