The Federal Government has commissioned a 3MW solar hybrid power project at Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja, formerly the University of Abuja, to improve electricity supply for academic, research and other essential activities.
The project was inaugurated on Wednesday by the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, under Phase II of the Energising Education Programme, in partnership with the Rural Electrification Agency and the World Bank-funded Nigeria Electrification Project.
The intervention is expected to provide more reliable power for teaching, research, laboratories, digital services, student accommodation and other operations across the university. It also includes 388 streetlights to improve lighting and campus security.
Speaking during the commissioning, Tegbe said the project reflected the importance of linking investments in energy with human capital development.
“There is perhaps no better place to demonstrate the practical value of Nigeria’s energy transition than a university. A university brings together everything that a modern energy system is expected to support: learning, research, healthcare, technology, administration and, increasingly, the digital infrastructure through which knowledge is created and shared.
“This facility combines a 3.3 megawatt solar array with 3 megawatts of AC output capacity and 2 megawatt hours of battery storage to support critical loads after solar hours,” he said.
The minister said the government would consider extending electricity from the project to the university’s hostels and other parts of the campus following a request by the Student Union Government.
He said, “What you can be sure, and the rest are sure, is that we will look into it, and we’ll make sure the battery system… We currently have three megawatts solar panel capacity, and we’ll have three megawatts battery capacity. Typically, with this kind of project, what you do is you can double the battery capacity so that your storage capacity is much higher, and then you can serve other areas.”
He added, “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.”
The project comprises a 3.3MW solar array, 3MW AC output capacity and 2MWh of battery storage.
The storage system is designed to supply critical loads beyond periods of sunlight.
Tegbe also urged members of the university community to protect the infrastructure against vandalism, noting that the government was working with security agencies to protect national assets.
“We set up a joint working committee with EFCC, with the police, with the civil defence corps, to monitor our national assets. You will not believe how many towers get pulled down by vandals.There are big vandals all over the country,” he said.
The minister said the government was also developing mechanisms to ensure that renewable energy facilities remained functional and properly maintained after commissioning.
He linked the initiative to the Renewable Asset Management Company, which he said would oversee the maintenance of renewable energy infrastructure, while a similar arrangement was being planned for national grid assets.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the REA, Abba Aliyu, said the Energising Education Programme had so far provided renewable energy infrastructure to 22 federal universities and three affiliated teaching hospitals.
According to him, the programme has deployed more than 100MW of clean energy, while the new facility could serve as a practical research platform for students and researchers working on renewable energy, battery storage, grid integration, smart metering and energy management.
The Vice-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University, Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi, described the project as a significant investment in the institution’s academic objectives.
