The Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (AE-FUTHA), has raised the alarm over what it described as an outrageous and unsustainable electricity bill of ₦107,006,620.72 issued by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) for December 2025, warning that the development poses a grave threat to healthcare delivery and could cripple public tertiary health services.
Hospital management disclosed that the December bill represents an unprecedented spike in electricity charges and a near 300 per cent increase within one year, sparking serious concerns about the transparency and fairness of the billing process.
According to AE-FUTHA, if the current trend persists, the hospital could be forced to spend over ₦1 billion annually on electricity alone, a burden it says is clearly beyond the capacity of a public, non-profit healthcare institution.
A review of the hospital’s billing records over the past 12 months shows a steady and disturbing rise in charges, from N26.5 million in January to N71.5 million in November, before surging sharply to N107 million in December.
Management noted that in both 2023 and 2024, the hospital’s monthly electricity bills were consistently below N20 million, making the latest charges grossly disproportionate and difficult to justify.
Speaking during a press briefing on Wednesday at the hospital complex in Abakaliki, the Director of Administration, Mr Calistus Azubike Okonkwo, who read the statement on behalf of management, said the hospital had always met its electricity payment obligations in good faith to ensure uninterrupted services to patients.
“However, the magnitude of the December bill has reached a breaking point. This level of billing is unsustainable and threatens the very survival of essential healthcare services provided by the hospital,” he said.
AE-FUTHA also questioned the basis for the December billing, particularly given that hospital activities were significantly reduced during the period due to industrial actions.
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) embarked on a strike in October 2025, while the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) commenced an indefinite strike on November 14, 2025, leading to partial paralysis of services and reduced energy consumption.
“Despite these reduced operations, the hospital’s electricity bill rose from N71.5 million in November to over N107 million in December. This raises serious questions about the methodology used by EEDC in arriving at the tariff,” management stated.
The hospital further expressed concern over high charges linked to unmetered billing, calling for an immediate audit of EEDC’s billing system as it applies to the institution.
It stressed that AE-FUTHA operates critical life-saving facilities including intensive care units, neonatal units, operating theatres, laboratories, and diagnostic centres which must function round-the-clock.
“Any disruption in power supply or financial strangulation caused by excessive billing directly endangers lives. Health is an essential service, and lives lost due to power failure cannot be replaced,” the statement warned.
While reaffirming its commitment to accountability and payment of fair and verifiable utility bills, AE-FUTHA appealed to the Federal Government, the Ebonyi State Government, regulatory agencies, and the Federal Ministries of Power and Health to urgently intervene.
The hospital called for a review of its tariff classification, a downward adjustment of its monthly electricity bill to below N20 million in line with historical patterns, and a waiver on outstanding arrears pending the outcome of an independent audit.
Management emphasized that the press briefing was convened in the public interest to prevent exorbitant utility costs from crippling essential healthcare services meant for Nigerians.
AE-FUTHA urged all stakeholders to act swiftly to ensure a fair, transparent, and sustainable electricity tariff framework that protects public hospitals and safeguards lives.
