The Federal Government has claimed that 24 federal institutions have been equipped with solar energy through the ‘Energising Education Project’ initiated by President Bola Tinubu’s Administration.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during the Collaboration Agreement Signing Ceremony with the vice chancellors of the participating institutions.
The Minister further noted that eight additional universities have entered into collaboration agreements to participate in the fourth phase of the project.
Before the signing ceremony, the minister conducted an inspection of the solar-powered facility at the University of Abuja, now known as Yakubu Gowon University.
Alausa characterised the project as a ‘new day for Nigeria’ and praised the transformative initiative under Tinubu, which aims to ensure a continuous power supply to Nigeria’s federal tertiary institutions.
He emphasised that the projects offer significant advantages for both education and the economy.
He also mentioned that the University of Abuja, which features a solar farm with 6,000 photovoltaic panels, generates approximately 3.3 megawatts of electricity daily, sufficient to provide power to the campus at all times.
“This project brings continuous, 24-hour electricity to our institutions.
“It allows for increased academic activity, powers laboratories and libraries throughout the day and night, and improves living and learning conditions for both students and faculty,” he said.
The minister emphasised the economic ripple effect of the initiative, explaining how reliable electricity stimulates business within campuses.
“Any campus is a community by itself. With a constant power supply, you unleash high economic activity,” he said.
Alausa articulated that the initiative received support from the Renewable Infrastructure Fund, which Tinubu established to facilitate infrastructure development across various sectors.
He subsequently urged university vice chancellors to explore innovative and creative strategies for sustaining the project, emphasising that by 2027, all tertiary institutions would be equipped with renewable energy generation capabilities.
Additionally, Abba Aliyu, the Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency, noted that phases 1, 2, and 3 of the project have positively affected over 600,000 students and 50,000 academic staff.
Aliyu further stated that the project has produced more than 100 megawatts of electricity to energise university campuses and teaching hospitals.
He highlighted that this initiative, executed in multiple phases, has successfully introduced solar mini-grid infrastructure to 24 federal universities nationwide.
“What you are seeing here is one of our interventions in the education sector, and the aim is to ensure that universities have a sustainable and affordable electricity supply,” he said
In addition to educational institutions, he stated that the Universal Public Health Project, which is part of phase 2, has successfully provided clean energy to two universities and two teaching hospitals.
He further mentioned that Phase 3, which encompasses the electrification of eight additional universities and one more teaching hospital, is nearing completion and is expected to be commissioned within the next two months.
Naijaonpoint understands that the eight new beneficiary institutions include Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, University of Nigeria in Nsukka, and Federal University in Wukari, Taraba State.
The other institutions are Federal University Dutse, University of Benin, University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, and University of Lagos.