President Tinubu To Commission University Of Abuja’s 3-MegaWatts Capacity Solar Hybrid Power Plant

….As REA Energizes Nigerian Universities

By Enyi Ejike-Umunnabuike Jr

All is set for the official commissioning ceremony of a 3-Mega Watts capacity Solar Hybrid Power Plant, programmed and directly supervised by the Rural Electrification Agency {REA }.

The event is expected to hold within the early weeks of December, 2024.

The power plant, specifically designed to fully energize the entire University of Abuja community, is located in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory..

Other Nigerian federal universities are already benefitting from the same strategic project implementation drive, courtesy of Nigeria’s flagship agency, solely responsible for rural electrification initiatives, providing clean, stable, reliable and sustainable renewable energy solutions through the use of very professionally competent resourse stakeholding experts, Renewable Energy Service Companies { RESCO’s }.

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No fewer than 37 Nigerian federal Universities and about 7 or 8 University Teaching Hospitals are enjoying similar energizing renewable energy scale-Up based on their peculiar energy requirements.

This presidential commissioning in the views of Abubakar Abba Aliyu, the Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency {REA}, is a good testament about the present administration’s determination to address the animated social and economic problem of over dependence of the use of fossil fuel and providing reliable, clean, cheaper and sustainable renewable energy solutions within the educational and health sectors of the Nigerian economy.

Abubakar Abba Aliyu, is of the strong view that the upcoming presidential commissioning by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would further give a ray of hope about the Federal Government ‘s determination to ensure that the hitherto agonizing experience of huge financial burden, incurred by Federal Universities, would now be a thing of the past, as the present administration is prioritizing all issues, values and norms that define alternative energy solutions, which the breton wood institutions, like the World Bank , International Monetary Fund , International Financial institutions and even, the African Development Bank {AfDB}, would rather describe or label as renewable energy solutions.

The concept of the Energizing Education Programme (EEP 11), which is aimed at providing reliable, clean, stable and sustainable electrical energy solutions to enhance the processes of teaching and learning in at least, no fewer than 37 Federal Universities and seven University Teaching Hospitals, became necessary in view of the heavy financial burden which Federal Government owned universities, experience, in running their respective energy costs in the routine purchase of fossil fuel to power their academic communities.

The presidential commissioning ceremony, which is coming at a time when several segments of the establishment circles of the Federal government and the organized private sector, including collective sub-populations of the Nigerian state are groaning under the yoke of heavy and unbearable payment of direct – grid electricity bills through the customer-oriented service provision by a combination of professional services by the GENCOS and DISCOS.

Seen by almost the majority of renewable energy experts and stakeholding partners as a welcome and timely presidential governance move, the commissioning ceremony is presenting itself as not just a source of excitement for members of the University of Abuja local Community but the euphoria associated with it, extends to other old generation federal universities.

The Vice Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile – Ife, in Osun State, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire, in an exclusive interview with this reporter, offered an insight into what the experiences and lasting impressions at his University had been like before the Rural Electrification Agency offered a quick Interventionist approach in bailing it out from the choking financial burden of routine expenditure on the direct -grid electricity bills payment.

Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire said thus, “the Rural Electrification Agency has been very strategic in the provision of clean, reliable, stable and sustainable renewable energy solutions in at least, 37 federal Universities and about 7 or 8 federal University Teaching Hospitals, making these universities, heave a sigh of relief “.

According to the Vice Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile -Ife, the present administration, should do more in terms of specific needs that these universities require to move teaching and learning forward.

The Energizing Education Programme, which is a World Bank assisted project, essentially programmed and administratively supervised by the Rural Electrification Agency {REA} is closing up before the end of the year, 2024.

For the Vice Chancellor of a new generation university, the Federal University Lokoja, Professor Olayemi Akinwumi, “we are happy about how the Rural Electrification Agency and its component units are progressively moving to energize all the Federal universities and university teaching hospitals. The Rural Electrification Agency & its component units deserve commendation from all well meaning Nigerians.”

Said Professor Olayemi Akinwumi: “I must commend His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for prioritizing the energy basic-needs and felt-needs of the federal universities and their teaching hospitals.”

“I would on behalf of other Vice Chancellors of Federal Universities, urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as the father of the nation to make special budgetary provisions in the coming years towards ensuring that the all Nigerian University campuses, are lit with glittering lightening systems provided by way clean, reliable, stable and sustainable renewable energy sources, saving the ivory towers from the huge fiscal instruments burden of relying on the routine purchase of fossil fuel as well as payment of excruciating direct – grid electricity bills.”

Only last Thursday, Nigeria’s Honourable Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, ably assisted by the Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abubakar Abba Aliyu, led a high – powered Federal Government team, populated by top operatives of Nigeria’s renewable energy sector, during which he conducted a pre-commissioning site inspection tour of the 3-Mega Watts capacity Solar Hybrid Power Plant, affirmed to be almost 95% completed, according to the Head of Works, University of Abuja, Engr. Joshua Musa.

This highly impactful milestone project, being implemented under the second phase of the Energizing Education Programme, (EEP 11) is part of the Federal Government’s Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) managed and midwifed by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) led by Abubakar Abba Aliyu as Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer.

Essentially, the multi billion naira capital projects, by way of renewable energy projections, is targeted at delivering sustainable and uninterrupted electricity supply to seven (7) Federal Universities and two (2) University Teaching Hospitals, across the six geographical zones of Nigeria.

Speaking while paying a courtesy visit to the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi, Nigeria’s Honourable Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, told the Vice Chancellor that the Solar Hybrid Power Plant, represents President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment towards delivering sustainable energy solutions that can empower institutions like the University of Abuja.

The Hon. The Minister of Power explained that the 3-MegaWatts capacity Solar Hybrid Power Plant to be commissioned soon, is a model of what the Federal Government hopes to achieve in enhancing the energy sector across Nigeria in the remaining years of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led APC administration.

For Nigeria’s Hon Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, the University of Abuja capital project, falls in line with the renewable energy components of the Renewed Hope Agenda energy policy directives initiated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, geared towards sustainable development.

The pre-commissioning ceremony site inspection visit provided the Hon Minister of Power the opportunity to have a firsthand exchange of ideas with the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, 42 year old Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi.

Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi overtly excited about the evident prospects of the University of Abuja being a beneficiary of such a Federal Government- backed renewable energy based investment, described the 3-MegaWatts capacity Solar Hybrid Power Plant as a transformative high-end achievement for the University of Abuja.

Said an excited Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi who has made history as the second female Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, after Professor (Mrs.) Gambo Laraba Abdullahi, “uninterrupted electrical power supply is a game- changer for our University. “This project aligns with our mission to deliver quality education and foster innovations and reliable power is the foundation for transformative education and this project will enhance our teaching, learning and research capabilities.”

The Power Minister further noted that the functionality of the 3- Mega Watts capacity Solar Hybrid Power Plant at the Federal University, representing the Federal Capital Territory – Abuja, would go a long way in encouraging intellectual over-achievement processes in teaching, learning and research efforts by students, scholars and teachers.

The project host who also doubles as the Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) Abubakar Abba Aliyu in his remarks during the visit, underscored the transformative impact of the project on the University of Abuja community and the broader educational sector in Nigeria.

Said Abubakar Abba Aliyu, “this project exemplifies Rural Electrification Agency’s commitment towards providing innovative energy solutions that empower our educational institutions. The University of Abuja is now better positioned to fulfill its mission of delivering quality education while fostering research and development through reliable and sustainable power.”

Abubakar Abba Aliyu, used the instance of the occasion to praise what he described as the positive collaboration between government agencies, stakeholding partners and allied educational institutions, adding that , ” this intervention is not just about providing power, it is about empowering institutions to thrive on one hand and students to excel in an enabling environment on the other hand”.

One of Nigeria’s leading renewable experts and Head, Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), Olufemi Akinyelure, summarized his thoughts this way, ” the Energizing Education Programme, (EEP) is not just about delivering power, it is about transforming how universities function and thrive.”

Olufemi Akinyelure continued, “through initiatives like this, we are enhancing education, improving safety and contributing to the sustainability of our academic institutions.”

The Energizing Education Programme phase 11, funded by the World Bank is nearing completion and would soon be commissioned in the coming weeks by the Federal Government of Nigeria, provides a lot of excitement for the universities and their surrounding local communities which are lightened up by stable, clean and reliable renewable cycles that guarantee economic growth development and empowerment.

Once operational, the 3-MW capacity Solar Hybrid Power Plant will enhance safety on campus, reduce dependence on fossil fuel and additionally strengthen the University’s capacity for innovation and excellence.

As key renewable energy experts and stakeholders look forward to the final commissioning ceremony of the 3-Mega Watts Hybrid Power Plant, the message by the Honourable Minister of Power resonated as a clarion call to action towards ensuring that energy projects continue to drive the culture of excellence and innovation in Nigeria’s educational institutions.