The Federal Government has earmarked ₦100bn in the proposed 2025 budget, currently awaiting approval by the National Assembly, for the installation of solar mini-grids in selected government institutions, federal universities, and their teaching hospitals.
Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abba Aliyu, stated that once the budget is passed and signed into law by President Bola Tinubu, the agency will commence work to provide sustainable, cost-effective, and climate-friendly power solutions to these institutions.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Tuesday, Aliyu explained that the initiative falls under the National Public Sector Solarisation Initiative of the Federal Ministry of Power.
“This is a new concept designed to reduce the cost of governance. ₦100bn has been allocated for it, and we will use that funding to solarise public institutions,” he said.
He noted that the government had assessed the high costs of diesel and generator usage in public institutions, prompting the decision to fund the transition to solar energy.
His remarks come amid ongoing electricity challenges, including a 100-day power outage at the University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan, which recently led to student protests. Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu has assured students that power supply will be restored.
To address similar issues, Aliyu revealed that solar mini-grids would be deployed at UCH and four other institutions across the country.
“In the next six months, I will report progress on deploying mini-grids in an additional five universities. At least two of the eight mini-grids in development will be completed, and we will have begun solarisation in key government parastatals, both in Abuja and beyond,” he said.
The REA boss listed the initial beneficiaries, including the University of Lagos, University of Ibadan and its teaching hospital, Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Nigeria Nsukka, and Ahmadu Bello University.
Aliyu further disclosed that his agency aims to commission at least 60 mini-grids before mid-2025, alongside the deployment of 40 interconnect grids to improve reliability.
He highlighted past interventions in seven universities and two teaching hospitals, where hybrid mini-grids now provide 24-hour electricity.
“For example, at the University of Maiduguri, we deployed a 12-megawatt hybrid system that powers both the university and the teaching hospital while also supporting the city’s only water treatment plant,” he said.
Aliyu confirmed that the new phase of installations across eight universities and one teaching hospital is set to begin commissioning by April 2025.
