FG powers 24 Nigerian tertiary establishments with photo voltaic power  

The Nigerian authorities says it has efficiently powered 24 federal tertiary establishments utilizing photo voltaic power infrastructure.

The initiative is a part of the Energising Schooling Venture (EEP) underneath President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, made the announcement on Wednesday throughout the Collaboration Settlement Signing Ceremony in Abuja, the place eight extra universities had been confirmed to be becoming a member of the fourth section of the EEP rollout.

Dr. Alausa, talking on the signing occasion with Vice Chancellors of the brand new beneficiary establishments, emphasised the size and ambition of the initiative.

“This challenge brings steady, 24-hour electrical energy to our establishments. 

It permits for elevated educational exercise, powers laboratories and libraries all through the day and evening, and improves residing and studying situations for each college students and college,’’ he mentioned.

The minister had earlier inspected the photo voltaic power facility on the College of Abuja (now renamed Yakubu Gowon College), the place he famous that the campus now advantages from a photo voltaic farm comprising 6,000 photovoltaic panels able to producing about 3.3 megawatts each day—adequate to energy the campus uninterrupted.

Financial potential 

Past instructional infrastructure, Dr. Alausa highlighted the broader financial implications of power entry for establishments.

“Any campus is a group by itself. With fixed energy provide, you unleash excessive financial exercise,” he mentioned.

In response to him, the challenge is being funded by means of the Renewable Infrastructure Fund arrange by President Tinubu to drive cross-sectoral infrastructure improvement.

He urged the Vice Chancellors to “assume creatively and innovatively” to make sure the long-term sustainability of the challenge, including that by 2027, each federal tertiary establishment might be geared up with renewable power options.

Over 100MW generated 

The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Company, Abba Aliyu, mentioned that the challenge throughout phases 1, 2, and three has impacted over 600,000 college students and 50,000 workers throughout the nation.

“What you’re seeing right here is certainly one of our interventions within the schooling sector, and the goal is to make sure that universities have a sustainable and inexpensive electrical energy provide,” he mentioned.

• In response to him, over 100 megawatts of photo voltaic electrical energy have already been generated throughout the nation’s establishments by means of this effort.
• He added that underneath Part 2, clear power has been delivered to 2 instructing hospitals and two universities by means of the Common Public Well being Venture part, whereas Part 3, which incorporates eight extra universities and one extra instructing hospital, is nearing commissioning.
• The eight new beneficiary establishments embrace: Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and Federal University, Wukari, Taraba state, Federal College Dutse, University of Benin, University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and University of Lagos.

These universities are anticipated to learn from the identical clear power installations which have reworked the operational panorama of earlier members.

Extra insights 

The Energising Schooling Venture, executed by the Rural Electrification Company (REA), seeks to deal with the longstanding power deficit plaguing federal universities and instructing hospitals.

By way of photo voltaic mini-grid installations, the challenge goals to supply clear, dependable electrical energy to energy educational and administrative amenities.