By Abiola Olawale
The Federal Government has offered reasons for transitioning from the National Grid to the installation of solar panels at the Aso Rock Villa, the seat of power in the country.
The Director General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Mustapha Abdullahi, who spoke during a press conference on Friday said it was unsustainable for the Aso Rock Villa to continue to pay about ₦47 billion yearly in power bills.
He said that this is why President Bola Tinubu approved ₦10 billion for the solar power grid to power the presidential villa.
He said: “It is unsustainable for the Aso Rock Villa to continue to pay about ₦47 billion yearly in power bills.
“This is why Mr President approved the deployment of a solar power grid within the Villa.”
He also explained that the move aligns with Tinubu’s broader agenda to diversify the country’s energy sources, encourage local innovation, and reduce reliance on the overstretched national grid.
“This initiative will not only ensure uninterrupted and clean energy supply to the seat of power but will also stimulate job creation and foster innovation among Nigerian engineers and energy experts,” he said.
This comes as thousands of Nigerians have taken to their respective social media accounts to voice their reaction as the presidency allocated ₦10 billion in the 2025 budget to install a solar mini-grid at the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock.
The decision was detailed in the recently approved ₦54.99 trillion 2025 Appropriation Bill.
The development became public knowledge after a breakdown of the budgetary allocation to the State House Headquarters.
In the initial 2025 Appropriation bill submitted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu before the National Assembly, N47.11bn was earmarked for the State House Headquarters. However, in the budget version approved by the National Assembly, the allocations jumped to N57.11bn.
The additional N10bn was traced to a jump in capital expenditure, which moved from N33.55bn to N43.55bn.
A breakdown of the new capital items reveals that the increase was solely due to the planned solar project, titled “Solarisation of the Villa with Solar Mini Grid,” with a full allocation of N10bn.
It would be recalled also that the development comes amid the challenges of soaring electricity costs and mounting debts owed to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).
This move also comes after electricity tariffs, particularly under the Band A tariff, which guarantees 20 hours of daily power, were increased.
The tariff was increased from ₦68/kWh to ₦209/kWh in 2024.
The State House has also struggled with unpaid electricity bills. In February 2024, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company listed the Presidential Villa among top government debtors, with an outstanding bill of N923.87m.
However, following a reconciliation process, the debt was revised down to N342.35m. Tinubu subsequently ordered the immediate settlement of the amount to avoid disconnection, according to statements issued by the Presidency.
