The University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan — Nigeria’s oldest and one of its most prestigious teaching hospitals — is now operating on a mere five hours of electricity per day.
According to multiple internal sources, UCH currently receives electricity only in two short bursts: from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and again from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. daily. This dire situation has persisted for several weeks, severely affecting hospital operations and endangering critical services.
How Power Outages Are Crippling Life-Saving Services at UCH
Departments such as the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Surgical Theaters have had to rely entirely on diesel-powered generators to keep life-saving equipment running. Meanwhile, non-essential departments have scaled down or suspended services due to the unreliable power supply.
Staff who spoke on condition of anonymity expressed deep concern over the deteriorating situation. “We’re firefighting every day. You can’t run a hospital of this magnitude on generator power alone,” one senior staff member lamented.
How Previous Government Promises Failed to Solve the Crisis
It will be recalled that earlier this year, Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, visited UCH in response to a similar electricity crisis. At the time, he met with the hospital’s management and promised federal intervention to restore stable electricity supply to the facility.
However, months after the visit and those assurances, the hospital remains trapped in worsening energy hardship, raising questions about the commitment and capacity of federal authorities to address systemic infrastructure failures in the health sector.
How a 67-Year-Old Institution Is Struggling to Power Its Legacy
Founded in 1957, UCH has long been considered the crown jewel of Nigeria’s medical system. It serves not only as a major referral center for the entire South-West region but also as a training ground for thousands of medical professionals.
Now, its legacy is being tested by a basic infrastructural failure — electricity — as both patients and health workers endure unsafe conditions, rationed power, and an uncertain future.
Stakeholders are now calling on the federal government, the Ministry of Power, and the management of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) to urgently intervene before the situation escalates into a full-blown humanitarian and public health crisis.
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