It is deeply concerning that in Nigeria, fatalities-regardless of cause-have become so commonplace that they barely provoke a reaction anymore. Yet, what else should one anticipate from a nation ranked sixth on the 2025 Global Terrorism Index, consistently listed among the top ten most terror-stricken countries worldwide, and having recorded over 560 deaths in 2024 alone?
In a landscape where bandits, terrorists, and criminals operate with near impunity, some might dismiss the uproar over the loss of three lives within a hospital as mere lamentations from persistent complainers. On that note, I must apologize to a senior colleague who once labeled Nigerians critical of the late President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration as “wailers.”
However, the grief surrounding the preventable deaths at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital-caused by the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) cutting off power-cannot be brushed aside as simple noise from detractors. This tragedy highlights the dire state of Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure and should alarm every conscientious citizen.
John Donne’s timeless poem No Man Is an Island reminds us that the death of any individual diminishes us all. These three patients sought healing and survival within hospital walls but were denied both due to a power disconnection.
KEDCO’s decision to cut electricity was driven by outstanding debts amounting to ₦949.88 million as of August 2025, with the hospital’s monthly bill alone reaching ₦108.95 million. The result: three lives lost, casualties of a broken system.
Crippling Energy Costs
The tragedy at the Kano hospital unfolded shortly after a national health sector forum in Abuja, where stakeholders voiced grave concerns about how exorbitant electricity expenses are strangling hospital operations. The disclosures were alarming.
Dr. Iziaq Salako, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, revealed that tertiary hospitals nationwide spend up to ₦180 million monthly on electricity. He further noted that federal tertiary institutions allocate nearly half of their operational budgets to fuel procurement alone-an unsustainable financial burden.
Private healthcare facilities face similar challenges. According to a Healthcare Federation of Nigeria survey, private hospitals shell out an average of ₦20 million monthly just to keep the power running. This raises critical questions: Can such costs be maintained? How do they affect healthcare affordability and accessibility? And what impact do they have on the quality of care Nigerians receive? When hospitals must divert vast sums merely to maintain electricity, the prospects for affordable, accessible, and quality healthcare dim significantly.
The reality is that many hospitals, including publicly funded ones, deliver subpar services. Vulnerable Nigerians, often with no alternatives, grapple with limited access to healthcare and compromised treatment standards. The inevitable consequence is loss of life.
Statistics reveal that over 40% of primary healthcare centers across Nigeria lack any electricity, while those fortunate enough to have power receive less than five hours daily. It is hardly surprising that medical services in such conditions are severely hampered.
This deplorable power situation in health facilities-and similarly in schools-underscores the urgent need for targeted power subsidies in these vital sectors. Health, education, and agriculture are pillars of national security. No responsible government allows these sectors to be hostage to volatile market forces. Globally, governments provide subsidies to safeguard these areas, and Nigeria must follow suit.
Delayed Promises of Power Subsidies
In August 2024, Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu pledged government subsidies for electricity in health and educational institutions.
Yet, a year later, this promise remains unfulfilled. Hospitals continue to wrestle with crushing power bills, and patients continue to pay the ultimate price. Had the government acted swiftly, the three deaths at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital-and likely many others unreported-might have been averted.
What is the current state of Nigeria’s power generation? Despite a population exceeding 200 million, the country produces roughly 5,400 megawatts of electricity-far below what is needed. A 2022 report on per capita energy supply in Africa places Nigeria outside the top ten, despite its abundant natural resources. Countries like Libya, Gabon, South Africa, Algeria, and Egypt lead the continent.
Unreliable power remains one of Nigeria’s most pressing infrastructure challenges, stifling business growth, especially for small and medium enterprises reliant on steady electricity.
Despite vast gas reserves capable of fueling electricity generation, approximately 86 million Nigerians still lack access to dependable power.
Systemic Corruption and Its Fallout
Beneath these figures lies a deeper malaise: corruption. Billions of naira earmarked for electricity improvements have been misappropriated or squandered over the years.
The fallout is severe. High energy costs force industries to shut down, and foreign investors hesitate to commit to a country plagued by erratic power supply.
This power crisis severely undermines healthcare delivery, compelling those who can afford it to seek medical treatment abroad.
Reports indicate that Nigerians spent approximately $2.39 million (₦3.7 billion) on overseas medical services from January to September 2024 alone.
It is troubling that such funds flow out of the country, enriching foreign hospitals, when they could instead bolster domestic healthcare facilities. Yet, no one wants to risk their life in a system where basic infrastructure is absent, as tragically demonstrated at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital.
Why should Nigerians with means not pursue treatment abroad when the likelihood of losing a life due to preventable failures at home is so high? The Kano hospital incident is nothing short of a preventable tragedy. Nigeria has failed these patients, as it continues to fail countless others daily.
Governor Fubara’s Political Crossroads
Turning to Rivers State, Governor Sim Fubara faces a precarious political future. The question is less about if he will defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and more about when. With the APC controlling all but three local government councils-thanks in part to contentious local elections-and lacking firm control over the PDP’s state structures, his options are limited.
Joining the APC appears to be the most pragmatic route to secure federal support. However, even this move offers no guarantee of political dominance. Whether or not Fubara switches allegiance, his grip on Rivers State’s political landscape for the remainder of his term seems tenuous at best. It is a challenging position, and one that evokes little envy.
