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By Enyi Ejike-Umunnabuike Jr.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is about to inaugurate a 3-megawatt photo voltaic hybrid energy plant on the College of Abuja in early December 2024. The ability, supervised by the Rural Electrification Company (REA), is designed to offer uninterrupted electrical energy to the complete college group in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory.
The mission is a part of the Energizing Schooling Programme (EEP II), a World Financial institution-funded initiative geared toward delivering clear, dependable, and sustainable vitality options to 37 federal universities and 7 educating hospitals throughout Nigeria.
REA Managing Director and CEO, Abubakar Abba Aliyu, lauded this system as a big step in direction of lowering universities’ reliance on fossil fuels and direct-grid electrical energy, which have imposed heavy monetary burdens. “This intervention exemplifies our dedication to revolutionary vitality options that empower instructional establishments and foster excellence,” Aliyu mentioned.
A Increase to Schooling and Sustainability
The facility plant, nearing completion, aligns with Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, emphasizing different vitality options for sustainable improvement. Minister of Energy, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, described the mission as a mannequin for future vitality reforms. “This initiative showcases the administration’s resolve to reinforce vitality entry in vital sectors like schooling and healthcare,” he acknowledged throughout a pre-commissioning inspection.
The College of Abuja’s Appearing Vice Chancellor, Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi, expressed her pleasure in regards to the transformative impression of the mission, noting, “Uninterrupted energy is a game-changer, enabling developments in educating, studying, and analysis.”
Nationwide Influence
The REA has efficiently energized a number of establishments beneath the EEP II, with federal universities like Obafemi Awolowo College and Federal College Lokoja already reaping the advantages. Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire of OAU praised the initiative for assuaging the monetary pressure on universities.
Renewable vitality professional Olufemi Akinyelure emphasised the broader implications of this system. “This isn’t nearly electrical energy—it’s about reworking universities into hubs of innovation and security,” he mentioned.
Wanting Forward
As soon as operational, the 3MW photo voltaic plant will bolster campus security, cut back fossil gas dependency, and empower establishments just like the College of Abuja to attain tutorial excellence.
The commissioning marks a milestone in Nigeria’s push for renewable vitality adoption, promising a brighter and extra sustainable future for schooling within the nation.
