Several patients at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano State lost their lives after a sudden electricity disconnection plunged the facility into darkness, forcing life-support machines offline and drawing sharp criticism from hospital management toward the Kano Electricity Distribution Company over unpaid bills.

The blackout hit the federal teaching hospital on Saturday, September 13, 2025, affecting critical areas including intensive care units where patients rely on powered ventilators and monitors. While no exact death toll was disclosed, hospital spokesperson Hauwa Inuwa Dutse confirmed in a Sunday statement that fatalities occurred within 24 hours of the outage. "The management was saddened by the death of some patients in critical care after KEDCO abruptly disconnected the entire hospital from electricity supply," Dutse said, noting the facility's dependence on stable power for essential services.

AKTH, a major referral center serving northern Nigeria, routinely covers its electricity costs through internally generated revenue while also buying diesel to run backup generators. Dutse emphasized that the hospital is addressing outstanding bills but urged KEDCO to restore supply immediately to prevent further risks. "We appeal to KEDCO to support healthcare delivery by reconnecting the hospital," she added, highlighting the potential for more deaths in the ICU without intervention.

KEDCO's response painted a different picture, with spokesperson Sani Bala defending the action as a necessary step against massive unpaid debts totaling billions of naira. Bala clarified that the disconnection targeted the hospital's staff quarters due to detected high consumption and losses, but staff were denied access, forcing a full cutoff. "We did not intend to disconnect the hospital area because we understand its essential services," Bala stated, accusing management of inadequate payment responses and framing the hospital's public outcry as unnecessary pressure tactics. He stressed that the company aims to recover dues without compromising vital operations.

This episode unfolds amid broader tensions between KEDCO and major users in Kano, including manufacturers who have threatened to switch providers over erratic supply and high tariffs. The hospital's plight echoes past outages, like a 2021 blackout that disrupted wards, and underscores Nigeria's chronic power woes, where distribution companies often clash with indebted institutions.