N10bn solar power projects for varsities to boost innovation – Ministry

The Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing has said the N10 billion solar power projects it hopes to initiate across 37 federal universities and seven teaching hospitals will boost effective learning, innovation and advancement in the institutions.

The project which is part of the Federal Government’s Energizing Education Programme (EEP) seeks to provide uninterrupted power supply to the institutions and communities around them, the ministry said.

In a statement, the ministry said it was responding to the Senate Committee on Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy, during the budget defence by the Ministry recently.

It said at the hearing, the Committee Chairman, Senator Abaribe had said there was a better way to deploy the funds by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) handling the projects.

But the Ministry said the project seeks to rejuvenate the education system through electrifying 37 federal universities and 7 university teaching hospitals, with Independent Power Plants (IPPS) to boost learning through uninterrupted power supply.

While connecting communities around the project sites which are rural and underserved, the statement said through the project, intensive training will begin in Nigeria on renewable energy.

“Although implementation of this programme is led by the power sector, through the REA, the Vice Chancellors and the Ministry of Education have signed onto this as a critical investment in the education sector,” it noted.

The ministry said the procedures for starting the project so far is transparent including the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between REA and the nine pioneer tertiary institutions.