After receiving N100 million, the richest man in Africa, Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology in Wudil, has had power restored by the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO).
The restoration was verified by Vice Chancellor Prof. Musa Yakasai in a Friday interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). He said that following the payment, the institution’s power supply was restored at about 4 p.m.
The university remained completely black for around four days as a result of KEDCO cutting off power abruptly over a N248 million debt.
Even though the university paid N20 million of its N60 million monthly charge, the disconnection still happened.
Yakasai attributed the resolution to the prompt intervention of the Kano State Government and the Dangote Foundation, which made an initial payment of N100 million to KEDCO.
The state government has committed to settling the outstanding liabilities, while the Dangote Foundation is exploring sustainable solutions, such as solar mini-grids, to prevent future disruptions.
The university management expressed gratitude to all parties involved and urged the community to support judicious electricity usage.
Aliko Dangote’s University joins many other higher instituitions plagued by the hike in electricity tariff.
Earlier Nairametrics reported that the University of Jos was grappling with a steep increase in its monthly electricity bill, which has surged by 300% to N80 million as threats of disconnection looms.
The management of the Jos Electricity Distribution (JED) Plc already issued a disconnection threat due to the institution over unpaid bills, adding to the university’s financial woes.
This sharp rise in costs was disclosed by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Tanko Ishaya, during a peaceful protest led by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at the institution.
Also, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Wahab Egbewole, raised alarms over the institution’s skyrocketing monthly electricity bill, which has surged from N70 million to an unsustainable N230 million.
In an email disseminated to university staff and students, a copy of which was made available to the press in Ilorin Egbewole attributed the increase to recent tariff hikes imposed by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC).
