FG To Spend ₦100 Billion On Solar Power Installation Across Nigerian Varsities, Hospitals

President Bola Tinubu’s government has earmarked ₦100 billion in the 2025 Budget, pending approval from the National Assembly, for installing solar mini-grids in designated government institutions, federal universities, and their affiliated teaching hospitals.

The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abba Aliyu, disclosed this development on Tuesday while appearing as a guest on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief program.

Aliyu explained that this funding is part of the National Public Sector Solarisation Initiative launched by the Federal Ministry of Power.

He noted that once the budget receives the necessary legislative approval and is signed into law by President Tinubu, his agency will commence efforts to deliver a reliable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly power supply to these institutions.

The initiative, Aliyu said, aims to lower governance costs, with ₦100 billion allocated for its implementation. He remarked that the government intend to use these funds to transition all public institutions to solar energy.

Aliyu further noted that the current administration has assessed the expenditures incurred by public institutions on diesel and generator sets. In response to this analysis, the allocated funding will facilitate the solarization of these institutions.

Naijaonpoint recalls that students at the University of Ibadan organized a protest recently in response to a 100-day power outage at the University College Hospital (UCH).

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has since reassured the frustrated students that electricity would soon be restored to their campus.

The head of the electrification agency announced that solar mini-grids would be implemented at the university and four additional institutions nationwide to resolve the issue.

“In the next six months, I will tell you that I have started the process of deploying mini-grids in an additional five universities. I will tell you that I have completed at least two of the eight mini-grids that I am deploying in the eight universities and one teaching hospital.

“I will also tell you that I have started solarising the public sectors. We are looking at some key government parastatals in Abuja and outside Abuja.

“The UCH is part of the five that we are looking at starting. We are looking at starting at the University of Lagos. The minister of power was in Ibadan. We want to do the University of Ibadan plus the teaching hospital; Obafemi Awolowo University; University of Nigeria, Nsukka; and Ahmadu Bello University,” Aliyu noted during the interview on Tuesday.

The REA boss said before the next six months, his agency would commission at least 60 mini-grids, and start the process of deploying 40 interconnect grids to create reliability.

Aliyu said that his agency has already completed interventions in some universities and teaching hospitals across the country.

He said, “We recently completed intervention in seven universities and two teaching hospitals where we provided them with hybrid mini-grid that will provide them with 24-hour reliable, cost-effective electricity.

“For example is the University of Maiduguri where we deployed 12 megawatts-capacity powering the university and the teaching hospital and has the potential to even power the only water treatment plant within the Maiduguri metropolitan. These are the types of interventions.

“We have now started a new line of eight universities and one teaching hospital. The commissioning of the new phase will start as early as April this year.”