President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday inaugurated the first major solar power plant in the country at the University of Ibadan.
The plant has the capacity to supply 10 megawatts of renewable electricity to the university community and its environs when completed.
The multi-million dollar project is a product of negotiation and financing between the Federal Government, through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, the German government and UI.
The Ibadan plant serves as a pilot project for other universities in Nigeria, with three more Nigerian universities set to benefit from the partnership with the German government.
Apart from providing power for UI, the station will also serve as a training centre for engineering students and technicians from the university.
President Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwuka, said the project was in line with the national energy policy geared towards augmenting existing power sources in order to achieve the goal of reliable and sustainable energy for Nigerians.
He said, “Today’s groundbreaking ceremony is a culmination of more than two years of negotiation involving UI, the Federal Government and German government. This is why the FG, through TETFund, has committed itself to this project with the provision of funds.”
