Purpose: University campuses are one of the major consumers of electricity. Therefore, it is important to investigate factors related to electricity saving. This study aims to examine the key drivers in achieving efficient electricity management (EEM) practices in public universities. Design/methodology/approach: To achieve the objective, 23 drivers of EEM practices were identified through a comprehensive literature review and an empirical questionnaire survey was performed with 1,386 electricity end-users of three public universities having staff and students' halls of residences in Nigeria. The collected data were analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS version 21) to identify the number of components that could represent the 23 identified drivers. Findings: The relative importance index ranking results indicated that 18 drivers were critical. The top five most critical drivers were understanding of the issues, understanding the vision and goal of an energy management programme, knowledge and skill, risk identification and good and effective communication among relevant stakeholders. An exploratory factor analysis revealed that the underlying grouped drivers were raising awareness, top management support and robust energy management team, risk management and stakeholders' participation. This study also indicates that the most dominant of the four underlying groups was raising awareness, which highlights the role of increasing awareness and public consciousness as a significant catalyst in promoting EEM practices in public universities. Research limitations/implications: Geographically, this study is limited to the opinion of respondents in public university campuses in Nigeria. Although this study could form the basis for future studies, its limitation must be considered carefully when interpreting and generalizing the results. Practical implications: This paper has highlighted a few drivers of EEM practices in public universities. The results of this study present scientific evidence that can be used as a basis for formulating public policies that could be incorporated into the energy management regulations of university buildings. It is most important for policymakers to pay adequate attention to the most critical drivers especially those that are related to the "raising awareness" factor to promote sustainable campuses. Originality/value: This study provides practical knowledge for university management to develop effective methods to implement the identified drivers of efficient and sustainable electricity management on the campus. This study also contributes to the body of knowledge in the field of energy management.