The vice president, Prof. Osinbajo has inaugurated a 7.1 megawatts solar hybrid power plant at the Bayero University, Kano, for sustainable power supply.
Speaking at the commissioning of the project in Kano, Osinbajo said the solar hybrid power which is executed under federal government’s Energising Education Programme (EEP) would benefit thousands of students, other members of the university community, as well as enhance teaching, research and learning.
He said similar projects will be implemented in 37 federal universities and seven university teaching hospitals across the country.
He said the BUK project will provide electricity for about 55,815 students and 3,077 staff of the university.
The vice president further said the project would empower the girl child and provide job opportunities.
In her speech, the managing director of Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Ms. Damilola Ogunbiyi said the EEP is aimed at developing off-grid capacity power solutions.
She said the EEP would provide world class renewable workshop and training centre for each of the beneficiary universities.
She disclosed that first phase the EEP consists of nine federal universities and one teaching hospital across the six geo-political zones.
Ogunbiyi further said the projects would power 2,850 street lights that would eventually result in the decommissioning of hundreds of generators.
Besides, she said the project was fully funded by the federal government and will train 180 female Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) students.
“Within this phase, there are seven solar hybrid projects currently benefiting from funding of the green bond issued by the federal government.
“While subsequent phases are to be funded by the Nigerian Electrification Project which is also a federal government project administered by the REA in partnership with the World Bank and African Development Bank,” she added.
Earlier, in his welcome remarks, BUK vice-chancellor, Prof. Muhammad Yahuza-Bello commended the federal government for siting the largest solar power system in Africa at the institution.
He said the project will improve power supply to the university.
“This, in turn, would improve our productivity and efficiency. Research and technology laboratories could be operated virtually 24 hours a day as obtained in other climes,” he said.
Yahuza-Bello added that the station would enable the university to save about N4.5 million monthly electricity costs.
The vice-chancellor appealed to the federal government to support the institution with batteries to keep its one megawatt solar power station developed by the school at the old campus working.
With NAN report
