By Chioma Obinna

The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, is on the brink of a power shutdown as Eko Electricity Distribution Company, EKEDC, issued a final disconnection notice over an accumulated electricity bill of over N89 million.

eanwhile, the Director-General of NIMR, Professor John Obafunwa, has raised an alarm, describing the recurring electricity crisis as a direct threat to Nigeria’s public health research efforts.

Obafunwa also accused EKEDC of frustrating the institute’s operations through “outrageous estimated billing” and refusal to install a dedicated electricity meter on the premises.

Addressing journalists on Friday during the NIMR monthly briefing, he described EKEDC action as a deliberate attempt to frustrate the operations of the institute.

“For most of us, we’ve been here a couple of times, and we’re probably getting more and more familiar with what’s going on in NIMR and the relevance of NIMR to our nation.

“But I still consider this a deliberate attempt to frustrate the work we are doing here.”

Obafunwa disclosed that monthly electricity bills from EKEDC have ranged between N44 million and N52 million — despite what he described as “under 10 hours” of actual daily electricity supply.

“We are not a commercial enterprise. We’re not a university collecting school fees. We don’t have the capacity to generate income like tertiary hospitals. We’re a research institute. Yet, we’re being billed as if we’re running a manufacturing plant.”

The DG disclosed that despite repeated letters, visits, and even direct appeals to the company’s management, NIMR was denied a functioning electricity meter for years, leaving the institute at the mercy of estimated billing. “You can’t put a meter in your backyard and be giving us figures,” he said, referring to EKEDC’s claim that NIMR’s meter is located at its Jibowu office.

The NIMR DG who lamented that most of the research done by the institute are donor driven said NIMR houses highly sensitive biological samples, temperature-dependent reagents, and state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment — much of it donated by foreign partners.

“Each time we shut down power, those samples are at risk. These are not things you can replace easily,” Obafunwa said.

“We’ve had to shut down electricity in the residential quarters. Power is cut at 9 a.m. and not restored until 4 p.m. We cannot continue like this.”

He observed that in what appears to be retaliation for NIMR’s recent decision to install its monitoring meters, Obafunwa revealed that the April bill from EKEDC surged to N52 million. “Once they realised we were putting in our metering system, the bill shot up. And now, they’ve issued a final disconnection notice.”

However, in an official memo from EKEDC dated April 24, 2025, and made available to Vanguard, the final notice demanded a payment of N62.4 million by April 28 to avoid disconnection.

Even when we tried to engage and committed to installment payments, they’ve acted with impunity,” Obafunwa alleged.

Obafunwa also lamented that the institute’s electricity budget for 2024 was just N20 million, barely enough to cover a month’s bill. Though it was raised to N145 million in the 2025 budget, he emphasised that the shortfall has already caused significant setbacks, including the withdrawal of some foreign donors.

“We are contributing to national health security. Yet, some people somewhere just feel they should feed fat on NIMR,” he emphasised.

He added that a petition has been filed with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), and efforts are ongoing to migrate NIMR to an alternative power source. “If we can go off the national grid, we will,” he said.

Obafunwa called on the media and the public to demand transparency and accountability from EKEDC.
“Ask them: Why does NIMR not have a dedicated meter on its premises? Why are we being billed blindly?”

Meanwhile, the disconnection notice from Eko Electricity Distribution Plc with Reference number: 236/2305/DM/IJ/2404/2025 A/C: 02/35/90/0959-01 and signed by the Business Manager, Ijora District Sanyash Clement, reads in part,

“The above subject refers.
This is a follow-up on our earlier calls to your representative about the expiration of the payment due date which elapsed since the 15th of this Month. Sir, be equally informed that your Total Bill is #89,351,449.38, out of which.

“H56.447,261 is your current charge. The least we are expecting from your organization is the current charge plus your established payment plan amount(#56,447,261=#6,000.000-#62.447,261).

“This memo serves as a Final Disconnection Notice. Please note that failure to make the payment on or before the 28th of April 2025, will result in the withdrawal of our services.

“While we look forward to receiving the payment as stated, please accept the warmest assurances and esteemed regards of the Management.”