FG Commissions 3MW Hybrid Mini-Grid at Abuja Varsity, Unveils National Power Call Centre Plan
The Federal Government of Nigeria on Wednesday commissioned a three-megawatt (3MW) hybrid mini-grid project and a Renewable Energy Workshop and Training Centre at Yakubu Gowon University, formerly the University of Abuja.
The project was commissioned under Phase 2 of the Energizing Education Programme (EEP), which covers seven universities and two teaching hospitals, including institutions in Maiduguri and Calabar. The programme is currently in the implementation stage of Phase 3.
The Yakubu Gowon University installation comprises a 3.3MWp solar array with 3MW of AC output capacity and 2MWh of battery storage to support critical loads after solar hours. It also features a dedicated grid connection to serve non-critical loads outside daylight hours.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, the Minister of Power, Chief Joseph Tegbe, commended the Board of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), led by Mr. Ayodele Fayose, and its management, headed by Abba Abubakar Aliyu, for their leadership in driving sustained investments to improve the lives of Nigerians.
Tegbe said the project would benefit 58,726 students, while its 388 streetlights would improve campus illumination and enhance security.
He noted that providing reliable electricity to the university would strengthen research and academic activities, reduce reliance on diesel generators, and ease pressure on the institution’s budget.
«“This connection between infrastructure and human capability is central to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Under his leadership, investment in electricity is being directed towards services and productive activities that improve people’s lives.”»
The Minister said the continued implementation of the EEP demonstrated the administration’s commitment to sustaining national development programmes across successive phases.
«“This sustained investment is a testament to this administration’s constancy of purpose. Continuing a national programme through successive phases, bringing projects to completion, and preparing the next phase reflects the discipline that development requires. For the young people who depend on these institutions, that continuity matters. It means that the commitment to their future remains active beyond any single project or ceremony.”»
FG Plans National Power Call Centre
Addressing the sustainability of the facility, Tegbe urged students and other members of the university community to take ownership of the infrastructure and report acts of vandalism.
He said the government was establishing a national call centre where electricity complaints from across the country could be lodged and resolved.
“The promise of this investment now places a responsibility on all of us to preserve it. I expect the student community to support our ongoing efforts to stem the tide of vandalism. I therefore charge all of you to report any such act whenever you see it, not just on this solar system, but on other power assets such as transformers and transmission towers.”
The Minister disclosed that the proposed call centre would provide a platform for Nigerians to report electricity-related complaints and would also include a dedicated channel for reporting vandalism of critical power assets.
“My office is working on a call centre where electricity complaints across the country can be lodged and resolved. This initiative will provide sustainable job opportunities for our youth nationwide. In addition, we plan to provide a dedicated channel where vandalism of critical assets can be reported for immediate action and remediation.”
He added that the government was also working with the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to curb the vandalism of electricity infrastructure nationwide.
REA Highlights Sustainability of EEP Projects
In his remarks, the Managing Director of the REA, Abba Aliyu, said the true value of the EEP extended beyond megawatts to include functional laboratories, reduced budgetary pressure, and safer learning environments.
He charged the university’s governing council to ensure that the project remained productive and beneficial to the university community long after its commissioning.
“Over the years, the EEP has taught us that when you build, you have to think about what happens five years from now and whether the investment will continue to create value into the future.”
Aliyu identified the Renewable Asset Management Company (RAMCO) as the agency’s solution to the long-term sustainability of renewable energy infrastructure.
“RAMCO is our solution. We must now become rigorous about asking how we protect and preserve the value of what we have built. RAMCO addresses this sustainability challenge. It recognizes that building infrastructure and managing it are two distinct responsibilities, and that modern renewable energy involves decentralization.”
He explained that the Federal Government had created a platform to manage, monitor, maintain, and optimise renewable energy assets over time.
“RAMCO cannot survive alone; it requires the support of all stakeholders in shared stewardship. The ultimate value of this project will depend not only on what we have installed, but on how well it is sustained.”
Aliyu added that, beyond the mini-grid, the agency had established a Renewable Energy Workshop and Training Centre to strengthen local technical capacity.
He encouraged the university to transform the facility into a research hub for distributed energy resources, urging the institution to pioneer new academic programmes, promote technological innovation, and explore the technical potential of the installation.
According to him, the EEP has so far delivered more than 100MW of power across 22 federal institutions and university teaching hospitals.
He also thanked the Minister for his continued support in ensuring that investments in the power sector translate into tangible benefits for Nigerians.
University Pledges to Sustain Facility
Also speaking, the Vice-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University, Prof. Akinwunmi Babatunde Fawehinmi, emphasised that the institution could not effectively teach, conduct research, or provide a conducive learning environment without reliable electricity.
He commended the Federal Government for its coordinated intervention, saying the project directly addressed the university’s energy needs.
Fawehinmi pledged that the university’s management would ensure that the facility was fully utilised and meticulously maintained for the benefit of the university community.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, also commended the REA leadership, describing the project as critical to improving the quality of education across the country.
Abaribe particularly applauded the establishment of RAMCO, noting that sustainability would be crucial to ensuring that government-funded infrastructure continued to deliver value to Nigerians long after commissioning.
