From Charity Nwakaudu Abuja
The Director-General, Energy Commission of Nigeria, ECN, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi has described the Federal Government’s approval of a N10 billion solar power project for the Presidential Villa, as a testament for transparent governance and nation building.
This is contained in a statement he made available to journalists in Abuja.
The statement reads, “The recent approval of ₦10 billion for the provision of solar electricity for the Presidential Villa has stirred public debate. Some questioned its timing and necessity, interpreting it as a deviation from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s campaign promise to provide stable electricity and prepaid meters to Nigerians.
However, experts view the project as a strategic and bold statement of a national aspiration, a foundational investment in Nigeria’s energy future and a strategic step towards sustainability, universal access, self-reliance and a lead role in the power supply equation.
Prior to President Tinubu’s administration, federal institutions in Abuja including the Presidential Villa owed the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) an eye-watering ₦47.1 billion in unpaid electricity bills. That energy bill, paid from taxpayers’ money, is not sustainable.
Transitioning to alternative and sustainable energy source significantly reduces such burden and allows government institutions to become models of efficiency by cutting costs and enhance reliable and sustainable governance. Invariably, the move clearly intends to insulate Nigerians from incessant high electricity bills, which underscores the President’s commitment to cutting costs and reducing spending across public and private facilities. We may recall that there has always been advocacy for reduction in the cost of governance.
Around the world, nations are transitioning profoundly toward renewable energy and the wins are great. In Kenya, solar mini-grids now power remote villages, while in Bangladesh, over 20 million people benefit from solar home systems. Germany, one of the most industrialized nations, sources nearly half of its electricity from renewables, despite their incomparable solar irradiation intensity when compared with Nigeria. The White House Building (US Presidential House) is not left out among those presidential edifices with alternative power.
The Aso Rock Villa’s solar power initiative sends a clear message to citizens, investors and global partners that Nigeria is ready to take control of its energy destiny. We must lead in Africa by utilizing more of the more available resources in meeting our needs.
Consequently, the gains go far beyond electricity:
This initiative opens doors to thousands of jobs in solar panel manufacturing; systems design, installation, operation and maintenance. It fosters innovation among the indigenous engineers, entrepreneurs, and young graduates seeking opportunities in a global green economy. It reduces pressure on our overstretched national grid, cuts long-term costs and puts us on a path to energy equity.More importantly, it plants the seeds for decentralized renewable power systems that can light up rural communities and empower under-served and unserved communities across the country.
This initiative is not about lighting up the State House alone; rather, it’s about a long-term energy vision; a vision where Nigeria breaks free from the cycle of energy debt and enjoys uninterrupted energy supply. It also comes as a more sustainable, affordable, and accessible alternative for all Nigerians. Let us not be distracted by the price tag but focus on the expected gains.
The ₦10 billion solar investment is a pathway to a future where every Nigerian can aspire to have uninterrupted, clean, and affordable energy. Certainly, history will remember this decision as the spark that ignited a national energy revolution in modern-day Nigeria.
In line with the promise of this administration to provide electricity for Nigerians, Mr President has been planning and implementing far-reaching long-lasting programmes. His reach cuts across the entire power value chain – generation, transmission and distribution, including provision of meters to consumers.
In his recent declaration in Dar Es Salam, Tanzania, during the Mission 300 Summit, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, through the Minister of Power, released what was called National Energy Compact.
The Compact outlined many power projects ongoing in Nigeria, by this administration, and financed by various development partners including the World Bank, African Development Bank, European Union and USAID apart from FG funded initiatives. These projects are not in any way less in value than $5.3 billion and cut across the entire electricity value chain, both grid and off-grid solutions.
The government therefore, is not deviating from its focus of providing electricity to Nigerians. Deployment of solar power by the government, anywhere in Nigeria should be seen as a step in the promised direction.