AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved two major electrification projects valued at N145 billion, aimed at boosting access to clean and renewable energy in Nigeria’s educational and agricultural sectors.
The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, announced the approval on Thursday after the FEC meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said the projects align with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and represent a deliberate move toward sustainable energy solutions that reduce dependence on the national grid while fostering innovation and development.
According to Adelabu, the first project involves the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) of solar hybrid power systems under the Energizing Education Programme (EEP), to be executed by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).
The N145 billion project, inclusive of 7.5% VAT, will be funded through the Special Intervention Window of the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund.
Set for completion within seven to nine months, the project will benefit eight federal universities and one teaching hospital.
Institutions named in this phase include the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), University of Ibadan (UI), University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, and Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State.
The minister added that additional beneficiaries will be confirmed at the commencement of implementation.
“This is a major milestone in transforming tertiary education infrastructure,” Adelabu said. “It will drastically cut energy costs, reduce reliance on diesel-powered generators, and provide a stable, clean power source for education, research, and healthcare delivery.”
He noted that the initiative builds on earlier World Bank-backed phases that delivered mini-grid solar systems to institutions like the University of Abuja (3MW), UNN (12MW), University of Calabar (8MW), and the Nigerian Defence Academy (2.6MW).
The second approved project involves the deployment of solar-powered infrastructure in Agricultural Centres of Excellence.
Also to be implemented by the REA, this initiative targets rural communities and agricultural hubs that are currently off the national grid, further extending the administration’s efforts to promote inclusive, sustainable development.
