Minister of Education, Dr. Supi Alausa, said on Wednesday at the last 24 Federal University in Nigeria is now powered by solar energy as part of the Energy Education Project (EEP) initiated by the Federal Government.
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday during the signing ceremony of the collaboration agreement with the Vice Chancellor of the Recipient Institution, Alausa confirmed that eight additional universities had also joined the fourth phase of the initiative aimed at sending electricity all the time to campus through renewable energy.
Before the event, the Minister visited Abuja University – now changed its name to Jacobu Gowon University – to check the newly assigned solar power facilities. The University of Solar Agriculture, which includes 6,000 photovoltaic panels, produces around 3.3 megawatts of electricity every day.
“This project carries continuous electricity, 24 hours to our institution,” said Alausa. “This makes it possible to increase academic activities, laboratory and library strengths throughout the day and night, and improve living and learning conditions for students and faculties.”
Describe the development as “New Day for Nigeria,” Alausa highlights how unbroken electricity in educational institutions can catalyze broader economic growth.
“Any campus is the community by itself. With a constant power supply, you release high economic activities,” he added.
He noted that the project was supported by renewable infrastructure funds initiated by President Tinubu to improve infrastructure in all critical sectors. Alausa also urged the university heads to find creative and sustainable strategies to maintain the solar system, stating the belief that all federal tertiary institutions will switch to renewable energy in 2027.
In his remarks, the Director of the Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Aliyu, said that more than 600,000 students and 50,000 academic staff had benefited from phases one to three projects.
“What you see here is one of our interventions in the education sector, and the aim is to ensure that the university has a sustainable and affordable electricity supply,” Aliyu said.
He added that this project has so far produced more than 100 megawatts of clean energy to campuses and university campuses and educational hospitals, including two universities and two hospitals under universal public health projects in phase 2.
Phase 3 of the energy project that is energy, almost complete, will see electrification of eight additional universities and another teaching hospital. These new institutions include Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Nigeria University, Nsukka; Federal University, Wukari; Federal University, Dutse; Benin University; Ibadan University; Obafemi Awolowo University, ILE-SIE; and Lagos University.
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