Project delivers solar generation, battery storage and 388 streetlights as government moves to improve reliable electricity for learning, research and campus security…..
The Federal Government has commissioned a solar hybrid power plant at Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja, as part of efforts to provide more reliable electricity for teaching, research and other essential activities on the campus.
The 3MW project was commissioned on Wednesday by the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, under Phase II of the Energising Education Programme, with implementation involving the Rural Electrification Agency and the World Bank-funded Nigeria Electrification Project.
The intervention is expected to ease the pressure on the university to provide dependable power for laboratories, digital services, student accommodation, administration and security.
Tegbe, who described the university as his alma mater, said the project demonstrated how investment in energy infrastructure could directly support human capital development.
“There is perhaps no better place to demonstrate the practical value of Nigeria’s energy transition than a university,” the minister said, noting that modern universities depend on electricity for learning, research, healthcare, technology, administration and digital infrastructure.
According to the project details presented at the commissioning, the facility comprises a 3.3MW solar array, 3MW of AC output capacity and 2 megawatt-hours of battery storage to keep critical loads running beyond daylight hours.
Tegbe said the commissioned facility should not be viewed as the end of the government’s intervention at the university.
The minister said his office was already considering a request from the Student Union Government to extend electricity supply to student hostels and other parts of the campus.
He said the government was looking at increasing the battery storage capacity to allow the system to serve a wider area of the university.
“Your Vice-Chancellor has come to see me on this, and we’re looking into it. I will make sure that in the next six months, every other area will be covered,” Tegbe said.
Beyond electricity generation, the project also includes 388 streetlights aimed at improving visibility and security across the university environment.
Tegbe urged the institution and the wider university community to protect the infrastructure from vandalism, warning that damage to energy assets could undermine the benefits of government investment.
He disclosed that the government had established a joint working committee involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the police and the civil defence corps to strengthen the protection of national assets.
“We set up a joint working committee with EFCC, with the police, with the civil defence corps, to monitor our national assets,” he said, highlighting the scale of vandalism affecting infrastructure across the country.
The minister also announced plans to strengthen the maintenance of renewable energy installations after commissioning.
He said the government was developing a framework through the Renewable Asset Management Company to ensure that renewable energy facilities remain operational and properly maintained over time.
A similar arrangement, he added, is being considered for assets connected to the national grid.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Aliyu, said the Energising Education Programme had so far extended renewable energy infrastructure to 22 federal universities and three affiliated teaching hospitals.
More than 100MW of clean energy capacity has been deployed under the programme, according to the REA chief executive.
Aliyu encouraged Yakubu Gowon University to maximise the new facility beyond its immediate power benefits by using it as a practical research platform.
He identified areas including renewable energy, battery storage, grid integration, smart metering and energy management as fields where the university could leverage the infrastructure for research and innovation.
The Vice-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University, Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi, described the solar project as a significant investment in the university’s academic mission.
The facility is expected to provide a more stable energy supply while supporting the university’s teaching, research, digital operations and wider campus activities.
