By Seun Ibiyemi
The Federal Government has commissioned a 3MW hybrid mini-grid and a Renewable Energy Workshop and Training Centre at Yakubu Gowon University, formerly the University of Abuja, as part of efforts to strengthen reliable electricity supply to public institutions and reduce dependence on diesel generators.
The project, commissioned on Wednesday, was delivered under Phase 2 of the Energising Education Programme (EEP), which covers seven universities and two teaching hospitals, including institutions in Maiduguri and Calabar.
The programme is currently at the implementation stage of its third phase.
The Yakubu Gowon University project comprises a 3.3MWp solar photovoltaic array with 3MW AC output capacity and 2MWh battery storage designed to support critical loads beyond daylight hours.
It also features a dedicated grid connection to supply non-critical loads outside solar generation periods.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, the Minister of Power, Chief Joseph Tegbe, commended the Board of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), led by Mr Ayodele Fayose, and its management under Managing Director Abba Abubakar Aliyu for sustaining investments in Nigeria’s electricity infrastructure.
Front row L-R: Pro-chancellor, Yakubu Gowon University, Senator Lanre Tejuosho, Chairman Senate Committee on Power, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, Vice Chancellor, Yakubu Gowon University, Prof. Akinwunmi Babatunde Fawehinmi, Managing Director Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abba Aliyu, Executive Director Corporate Services REA, Ayoade Gboyega and Head Nigeria Electrification Project, Engr.Femi Akinyelure at the commissioning of a 3MW hybrid mini-grid project at the Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja.
Tegbe said the project would provide benefits to 58,726 students, while 388 solar-powered streetlights installed on the campus would improve illumination and security.
According to the minister, reliable electricity at the university would also strengthen research activities, reduce dependence on diesel-powered generators and ease pressure on the institution’s budget.
He said investments in electricity infrastructure were central to the Federal Government’s efforts to improve public services and support productive activities.
“This connection between infrastructure and human capability is central to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Under his leadership, investment in electricity is being directed towards services and productive activities that improve people’s lives,” Tegbe said.
The minister also stressed the need for continuity and proper management of public infrastructure, noting that the government’s sustained investment in successive phases of the EEP reflected a long-term approach to development.
He urged students and other members of the university community to protect the facility and report vandalism involving the solar installation and other electricity infrastructure.
Tegbe disclosed that his ministry was working on the establishment of a national call centre where electricity consumers could lodge and resolve complaints.
He said the initiative would also create job opportunities for young Nigerians while providing a dedicated channel for reporting vandalism of critical electricity assets.
The minister added that the government was working with the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to tackle vandalism of electricity infrastructure nationwide.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of REA, Abba Aliyu, said the value of the EEP should be measured beyond the megawatts generated, stressing that its impact would also be reflected in functional laboratories, reduced institutional energy costs and safer learning environments.
Aliyu urged the governing council of Yakubu Gowon University to ensure the facility remains productive and continues to benefit the university community in the years ahead.
He said the Renewable Asset Management Company (RAMCO) was established to address the sustainability of renewable energy infrastructure delivered under government programmes.
According to him, RAMCO is designed to manage, monitor, maintain and optimise renewable energy assets over their operational lifespan.
“Building infrastructure and managing it are two distinct responsibilities, and that modern renewable energy involves decentralization. The Federal Government has created a platform to manage, monitor, maintain and optimize assets over time,” Aliyu said.
He, however, noted that RAMCO could not operate successfully without the cooperation of stakeholders, stressing that the long-term value of the investment would depend on how well the infrastructure is maintained.
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Beyond electricity generation, Aliyu said the REA established the Renewable Energy Workshop and Training Centre at the university to develop local technical capacity in renewable energy.
He challenged the institution to transform the centre into a research hub for distributed energy resources, develop new academic programmes and use the facility to promote technological innovation.
Aliyu disclosed that the EEP had so far delivered more than 100MW of electricity across 22 federal institutions and university teaching hospitals.
Also speaking, the Vice-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University, Prof. Akinwunmi Babatunde Fawehinmi, said reliable electricity was essential for effective teaching, research and the provision of a conducive learning environment.
Fawehinmi commended the Federal Government for the intervention and pledged that the university management would ensure the facility was fully utilised and properly maintained.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, also commended the REA leadership for the project, describing the intervention as important to improving the quality of education in the country.
Abaribe particularly welcomed the establishment of RAMCO, noting that sustainability would be crucial to ensuring that government-funded electricity projects continue to deliver benefits long after commissioning.
