As Nigeria’s energy crisis deepens, hospitals have found themselves in increasingly precarious positions with cost-saving measures resembling a dive from the frying pan into the fire.
The crisis took a troubling turn yesterday as patients and their families protested a prolonged power outage at University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, grounding all hospital activities.
The Guardian Newspaper, reports that “In a viral video, one protester accused the hospital of exploiting patients by charging for water and electricity they haven’t received, while another lamented, “People are in pain, people are dying in the wards. No electricity, no light… If you have issues, address them openly. Stop endangering lives here. You don’t care about the lives of the patients.”
The nationwide power crisis, compounded by other economic shocks, has already driven numerous establishments into bankruptcy, even as many producers shut down daily due to skyrocketing production costs. Public hospitals are also grappling with severe financial strain, as facilities report difficulties stemming from the recent electricity tariff increase mandated by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
Findings reveal that the recent hike in electricity rates has further worsened an already distressed healthcare system.
Many public hospitals can no longer sustain 24-hour operations due to escalating costs.
The worsening power crisis in Nigeria is severely affecting the healthcare sector, particularly secondary and tertiary public hospitals, where the combination of rising tariffs and an unreliable power supply is jeopardizing operational stability and compromising patient care.
Amid soaring energy expenses, public hospitals now face significant financial pressures.
They often pass these additional costs onto patients, resulting in higher medical bills to keep essential services running. Although the federal government approved a 50 percent subsidy on electricity for public hospitals in September, its implementation and impact remain unclear.
The lack of reliable electricity has led to surgery delays, disrupted clinic schedules, and forced hospitals to rely heavily on expensive generators. The healthcare sector’s predicament is
further exacerbated by broader economic challenges, as increased energy expenses force hospitals to reallocate limited resources, often at the expense of other critical needs.