Cost Of Power May Collapse Nigerian Universities, Elizade VC Warns

Vice Chancellor of Elizade University, Prof. Kayode Ijadunola, on Wednesday lamented the high cost of electricity supply to universities in Nigeria.

Ijadunola warned that the development might lead to the collapse of the nation’s university system in 2025.

The VC gave the warning at a press conference heralding the combined 8th and 9th convocation ceremony of the university in Ilara-Mokin, Ondo state.

He said the cost of energy in the country’s tertiary institutions had tripled in the last few months, noting that the situation was threatening the survival of the university system.

Ijadunola stated that the transition to the Band A electricity billing system introduced by the DISCOs was the greatest challenge currently facing most institutions of higher learning in the country.

The VC said despite the fact that the monthly bills had become largely unaffordable, power supplies into the universities had remained irregular while most of the institutions still depended on diesel-powered electrical generators to provide backup power supply at very exorbitant costs.

“The cost of power threatens the survival of the University system in 2025 if the current challenge remains unaddressed by the relevant authorities of the government,” he said.

Speaking on the convocation ceremony, Ijadunola said a total of 51 graduates of the institution bagged First Class while196 were in the Second Class Upper category.

The VC added: “191 are in the Second Class Lower category and 46 in the Third Class category. Across the two sessions of 2022/2023 and 2023/2024, we shall be awarding 484 Bachelor’s degrees and 74 graduate degrees to candidates that have been trained, examined, and found worthy, both in character and in learning, to be so admitted to the various degrees of the University.

“These consist of 228 and 256 undergraduate degrees for the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 academic sessions respectively.

“Furthermore, we shall be awarding 16 Postgraduate diplomas, 51 Masters’ degrees, 2 Master of Philosophy degrees and 5 Doctor of Philosophy degrees.”

“The university would also, for the first time, award doctoral degrees, and also by extension, honorary doctoral degrees to two distinguished Nigerians who have excelled in their personal and corporate lives, demonstrating laudable philanthropic gestures and making monumental contributions to the educational development of the country.”