Twenty five federal universities and three affiliated teaching hospitals have been connected to solar electricity through the Rural Electrification Agency’s Energizing Education Program, the agency has disclosed.
The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Aliyu, made this known during the commissioning of a 3MW captive solar hybrid power project at Yakubu Gowon University in Abuja.
According to Aliyu, the programme has so far deployed more than 100MW of clean energy to federal universities and teaching hospitals across the country, benefiting over 300,000 students and more than 50,000 academic and administrative staff.
He said the newly commissioned 3MW facility would provide power for key areas of the university, including lecture halls, laboratories, information and communication technology systems, administrative buildings, campus lighting and other essential services.
Aliyu explained that beyond the amount of electricity generated, the project is expected to improve the university’s ability to operate with a more stable and predictable power supply.
He said dependable electricity would help laboratories function more consistently, improve campus lighting and safety, reduce pressure on institutional operating costs and give the university greater confidence when planning its academic and research activities.
According to him, the experience gained through the Energizing Education Program has also shown the importance of considering the long term sustainability of renewable energy projects rather than focusing only on their commissioning.
The Minister of Power, Joseph O. Tegbe, described the investment as a clear example of how Nigeria’s energy transition can support human capital development.
Tegbe said universities provide an important environment for demonstrating the value of a modern energy system because they depend on electricity for learning, research, healthcare, technology, administration and digital services.
He noted that the new facility would provide a stronger energy base for teaching and research, but stressed that its long term performance would ultimately determine the value of the investment.
The minister also connected the project to the recently established Renewable Asset Management Company, RAMCO, which is expected to strengthen the management and performance of renewable energy assets over time.
The Head of the Nigeria Electrification Project, Olufemi Akinyelure, said the importance of providing reliable electricity to universities goes beyond powering buildings.
Akinyelure said public investment in education creates wider opportunities for innovation and national development, noting that reliable power can help institutions strengthen their academic programmes, research activities and contribution to the country’s future.
The Vice Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University, Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi, also welcomed the project, describing it as an important investment in the university’s academic mission.
Fawehinmi said dependable electricity is essential for effective teaching, meaningful research, laboratory operations and digital services, as well as for creating a suitable environment for learning and innovation.
The project therefore adds another renewable energy facility to the growing number of installations under the Energizing Education Program, with the broader goal of improving electricity supply across Nigeria’s higher education sector.
