Solar: FG’s initiative to tackle power shortage in varsities

On Thursday, October 13, the federal government in conjunction with the Federal Republic of Germany formally actualized their energy partnership project, with the flag off of a 10-mega watts solar power plant at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria’s premier university, as a prelude to the emergence of similar independent power supply initiative in all the […]

On Thursday, October 13, the federal government in conjunction with the Federal Republic of Germany formally actualized their energy partnership project, with the flag off of a 10-mega watts solar power plant at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria’s premier university, as a prelude to the emergence of similar independent power supply initiative in all the 40 federal universities across the country.
President Muhammadu Buhari was represented at the ceremony by the Minister of State for Education, Professor Anthony Gozie Anwukah, who described the development as “an historic occasion in the life of the university and of our nation”, saying it was also in line with the national energy policy.
In attendance were the German Ambassador, Mr. Bernard Schlagheck, the governor of Oyo State, Senator Isiaq Abiola Ajimobi, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Olalekan Alli, the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, who is also the immediate past Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan; the present Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka as well as the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji Aje Ogungunniso I, among others.
Anwukah, while performing the ground-breaking ceremony at the Ajibode extension of the University of Ibadan, reeled out the benefits of the provision of consistent power supply to the campuses of the nation’s tertiary institutions, explaining that, that would go a long way in “promoting productivity, efficacy and professionalism in research, teaching and learning with a remarkable impact on the quality of the graduates coming out of the institutions”.
“That the project is commencing at the University of Ibadan should not surprise anyone,” the minister said, adding that it was so because that is where the story of university education in Nigeria started.
 He added that UI, with its huge staff and student population, needed a corresponding high energy requirement which is in the region of six to eight mega watts.
The minister noted with delight that the federal government, in its bid to replicate the gesture in all federal universities in Nigeria, envisaged that the project should be achieved through the utilization of off-grid Independent Power Plants (IPPs) which falls under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative.
“It was in this respect that the federal government, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, recently launched the Energizing Education Programme Initiative (EEPI), a collaborative effort of the Federal Ministry of Education and Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to ensure self-sufficiency in power to all federal universities in the country,” he said.
The EEPI is aimed at providing reliable solar power supply which, in turn, will promote economic growth and sustainable development in universities. Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that the off-grid power plant, when completed will be environmentally-friendly with little or no carbon emission, which is in line with global climate change standards.
According to the minister, the ground-breaking ceremony was a culmination of more than two years of negotiations involving the University of Ibadan, the Federal Government of Nigeria and the German government.
He spoke further:  “This is why the federal government, through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), has committed itself to this project with the provision of funds.  It clearly attests to government’s commitment to supporting a robust educational system.  The project, when completed, will also ensure the realization of the vision of the University of Ibadan in becoming a world-class institution, in the sense that academic activities will be boosted, and ground-breaking researches can be conducted.
“For our universities to be highly rated in Africa and the world, we must have a good research infrastructure, and provision of energy is very key in the process.  The plant will also have the multiplier effect of providing electricity to neighbouring communities.  Government is keenly interested in this project, and its timely completion and effective utilization will inform an extension of the project to other universities.  We shall, therefore, be monitoring the progress of the project.  It is expected that the faculties of Science and technology and the Centre for Petroleum, Energy Economics and Law would take advantage of his project to enhance the capacity of their staff, while embarking on further research in renewable energy resources.”
The German Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Bernard Schlagheck, in his address on the occasion, assured that the Ibadan project would be completed and ready for commissioning within the next six months just as he dropped the hint that Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, would be next port of call where similar solar power facilities would be installed under the Nigerian (TETFund)/German Energy Partnership Project.
Schlagheck commended the “fantastic relationship” between Nigeria and Germany, promising that the solar power system will come with the teaching laboratory whereby Nigerians will be exposed to the maintenance aspects after the German engineers would have delivered and gone.
“The teaching laboratory will teach undergraduates and postgraduates on how to do the electrics of renewable energy.  So, we will train the first generation and Nigerians will then do renewable energy like German engineers,” the Ambassador stated.
Speaking earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Olayinka, expressed gratitude of the management, staff and students of the institution to the Nigerian government and that of Germany for coming up with the initiative, which he hoped would bring a lasting solution to the energy crisis that has been a recurring decimal in the University.
Also addressing the gathering through his representative, the governor of Oyo State, Senator Ajimobi, said the government would want to be a beneficiary of the project.  The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, observed that the solar power plant would have multiplier effect on the host communities while also pleading that such facility be extended to other parts of the state.