Renewed Hope Solarization: FG installs 2MW solar mini-grid, 200 streetlights at Kano varsity

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

The Energy Commission of Nigeria, ECN, has donated a 2 megawatts solar mini-grid at Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, ADUST, Wudil in Kano state.

The commission also pledged to install no fewer than 200 solar-powered streetlights at the state owned institution.

The project is part of the Renewed Hope Solarization initiative of the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

Speaking at the commissioning of the phase 1 of the project at the university’s premises on Friday, the Director General of the ECN, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi said it was aimed at meeting the required energy needed by the institution’s community.

According to Mr Abdullahi, ADUST, which has combined population of 24,339 students, 2,462 staff, and hostel facilities providing 5,200 bed spaces, needs between 12.3 and 16.4 megawatts , but the total connected load on utility records stands at only 8.26MW.

The DG noted that the mini-grid would help the university save energy cost as according to him, it spends an average of N22.4 million every month on electricity bills, while its entire on-site diesel backup capacity amounts to a mere 2.07 Megavolt-Ampere.

He added that every groundbreaking under the programme is preceded by rigorous technical work energy audits, load 21,877 assessments, site surveys, and system design.

He said his team had already arrived on the campus with that precise mandate to commence the work.

“The Energy Commission’s commitment to this institution does not end at 2MW. The Phase i system will deliver a complete, intelligent energy infrastructure.

” The solar photovoltaic array will be paired with a battery energy storage system for power continuity beyond daylight hours, it will be installed in decentralised clusters not a single large installation to improve resilience and ease management.

“All clusters will be coordinated through a SCADA supervisory control and data acquisition centre, giving the university real-time visibility of generation, load distribution, and system health.

“Solar streetlights will be incorporated to secure both the installations and the broader campus environment,” the DG said.

In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Musa Tukur Yakasai described the project as landmark that represents not just an infrastructural milestone, but a bold step toward sustainable energy, innovation, and academic excellence.

” I wish to express our deepest appreciation to the Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi, for his remarkable interventions, unwavering support, and genuine commitment to the growth of this institution.

“These contributions are numerous and impactful,” he said.

Mr Yakasai also said that the installation of 200 units of solar streetlights across the campus, with a further pledge to provide an additional 200 units would enhance safety and sustainability.

” We are equally grateful for the substantial financial support extended to the University during the 2025 NUGA Games preliminaries hosted here.

” Furthermore, the approval granted for the “Train-the-Trainer” programme on the application of the Nigeria Energy Calculator (NECAL 2050) has positioned our staff at the forefront of energy planning and policy tools. This is a significant step in strengthening our academic and research capacity,” he said.