Nigeria commissions solar plant to power university and train students
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The Federal Government of Nigeria activated a 3 megawatt solar hybrid power plant at Yakubu Gowon University in Abuja to provide reliable electricity for teaching, research, and campus operations.
Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe inaugurated the project, which falls under Phase II of the Energising Education Programme and receives funding from the World Bank’s Nigeria Electrification Project.
The new facility combines solar power with a 2 megawatt-hour battery system to keep critical university functions running even when the sun isn’t shining. Tegbe stated the government intends to expand the project to include student hostels and other areas of the university within six months, potentially doubling the battery storage capacity to support this expansion. He also explained the project connects energy investment with human capital development, offering a practical example of Nigeria’s energy transition.
Alongside the power plant, the government installed 388 streetlights to improve campus security and illumination. Officials also announced plans to establish a Renewable Asset Management Company to maintain the new renewable energy infrastructure, and a joint committee with security agencies to protect it from vandalism, a growing problem for national assets.
The Rural Electrification Agency reports this project is part of a larger initiative that has delivered over 100 megawatts of clean energy to 22 federal universities and three teaching hospitals.
