FG tackles university blackouts with new solar plant at Yakubu Gowon University

Precious Omolu 17:51 - 16 September 2026

Federal Government commissions a 3MW solar hybrid power project at Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja, to improve electricity supply on campus

The Federal Government has commissioned a 3MW solar hybrid power project at Yakubu Gowon University Abuja, providing cleaner electricity for learning, research and campus operations while training 300 students in renewable energy skills.

Federal Government commissions a 3MW solar hybrid power project at Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja.
The facility will provide electricity for classrooms, laboratories, digital services and other critical campus operations.
The project includes a 3.3MW solar array, 3MW AC output capacity and 2MWh battery storage.
About 300 students were trained as part of efforts to build renewable energy skills among young Nigerians.

Students of Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja, formerly known as the University of Abuja, may now have one less campus problem to worry about, unstable power supply.

The Federal Government has commissioned a 3MW solar hybrid power project at the university to provide more reliable electricity for lectures, research, laboratories, digital services and other important activities on campus.

The project was delivered under Phase II of the Energising Education Programme, an initiative of the Federal Government through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the Nigeria Electrification Project, supported by the World Bank.

For many Nigerian university students, constant power supply has always been a major challenge, affecting everything from studying at night to accessing online learning platforms, charging devices and carrying out practical research.

The new solar facility is expected to reduce that burden by providing cleaner and more dependable electricity for the university community.

Speaking during the commissioning ceremony on Wednesday, Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe said universities were the right places to showcase the impact of renewable energy investments.

The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, inaugurated the solar facility alongside officials from the Rural Electrification Agency and other stakeholders.

“There is perhaps no better place to demonstrate the practical value of Nigeria’s energy transition than a university. A university brings together everything that a modern energy system is expected to support: learning, research, healthcare, technology, administration and, increasingly, the digital infrastructure through which knowledge is created and shared,” he said.

According to the minister, the project features a 3.3 megawatt solar array, 3 megawatts of AC output capacity and 2 megawatt-hours of battery storage to keep critical facilities running even after sunlight hours.

The minister also said the government was looking into extending the electricity supply beyond the current areas covered by the project, including student hostels and other parts of the university.

Responding to a request from the Student Union Government, Tegbe said efforts were already underway to improve power access across the campus.

“What you can be sure, and the rest are sure, is that we will look into it, and we’ll make sure the battery system… We currently have three megawatts solar panel capacity, and we’ll have three megawatts battery capacity. Typically, with this kind of project, what you do is you can double the battery capacity so that your storage capacity is much higher, and then you can serve other areas,” he said.

He added: “Your Vice-Chancellor has come to see me on this, and we’re looking into it. I will make sure that in the next six months, every other area will be covered.”

The project will also improve security around the university through the installation of 388 solar-powered streetlights.

Tegbe urged students and staff to protect the infrastructure from vandalism, noting that the government was working with security agencies to safeguard power assets across the country.

“We set up a joint working committee with EFCC, with the police, with the civil defence corps, to monitor our national assets. You will not believe how many towers get pulled down by vandals. There are big vandals all over the country,” he said.

The newly commissioned solar plant provided electricity support for classrooms, laboratories, digital services and other critical university operations.

Beyond electricity supply, the project also comes with a focus on skills development. About 300 students were trained as part of the initiative to help young Nigerians gain knowledge in renewable energy technologies.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Aliyu, said the Energising Education Programme has already provided renewable energy infrastructure to 22 federal universities and three affiliated teaching hospitals, with more than 100MW of clean energy deployed.

He encouraged the university to use the facility as a research centre for renewable energy development, including battery storage, smart metering, grid integration and energy management.

The Vice-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University, Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi, described the project as a major boost to the university’s academic activities.

With Nigerian universities battling years of unreliable electricity supply, the government says projects like this are expected to support better learning conditions while helping institutions explore cleaner energy solutions.