Amid soaring energy costs, a high-powered Steering Committee on Alternative Energy Solutions by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, has recommended the adoption of hybrid solar photovoltaic, PV, battery storage, grid integration, and gas-fed backup power systems as the most cost effective energy solution for Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
The recommendation followed a nationwide energy audit and technical assessment conducted in collaboration with the Rural Electrification Agency, REA, covering universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education grappling with suffocating energy costs and unreliable supply.
While presenting the report on Monday before the TETFund Board of Trustees in Abuja, the Chairman of the Steering Committee on Alternative Energy Solutions Initiative, Hon. Sunday Adekoju, stressed that conventional grid power remains unreliable and cost-ineffective, while diesel generators are no longer sustainable for long-term use.
“Institutional energy demands must be met through resilient and cost-efficient solutions. Gas-fired generators offer cleaner backup where natural gas is available, while diesel units should be phased out or retrofitted for cleaner alternatives,” he said.
The committee was inaugurated on March 12, 2025, by the Chairman of the TETFund Board of Trustees, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, in response to the alarming rise in power costs across Nigerian tertiary institutions.
With a clear mandate to explore and implement sustainable alternative energy solutions, the committee was tasked with assessing existing energy consumption and gaps in tertiary institutions, identifying scalable, eco-friendly, and cost-effective alternatives.
Other terms of reference for the committee were evaluating institution-specific proposals, recommending appropriate plant sizing and technologies and proposing policies to promote long-term adoption of clean energy.
The committee comprised energy experts, engineers, architects, and regulatory officials from key education and power sector agencies, including representatives from the Federal Ministries of Power and Education, Energy Commission of Nigeria, REA, National Universities Commission, NBTE, NCCE, and the Nigerian Society of Engineers.
Between April 13 and 17, 2025, the committee conducted comprehensive site visits to alternative energy installations across the country, including: Solar Plants at University of Abuja, Bayero University Kano, Michael Okpara University, and others
Gas Power Facilities at Greenfield Industries’ LNG Plant at Julius Berger, CNG plant at NFPC as well as Hybrid Projects in UI, OAU, LASU, UNILAG, and Abia State University were also visited.
Institution selected for the pilot phase of the project include: North-Central: Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai; Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa; North-East: Nigerian Army University, Biu; Federal Polytechnic, Mubi; North-West: Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano; and Federal Polytechnic, Daura.
Others are South-East: Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri; Federal Polytechnic, Oko, South-South, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma; and Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas, Bonny, while in South-West: Lagos State University; Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro were selected.
Adekoju explained that to pilot the initiative, institutions were selected based on geographical representation, student population, infrastructure readiness, and absence from REA’s existing Electrified Education Programme.
According to him, following the audit, the committee reached the conclusion that hybrid energy systems, comprising solar PV, battery storage, grid, and gas-powered backup, present the most resilient and scalable option for Nigerian tertiary institutions.
Other key recommendations include to adopt region-specific hybrid systems, with configurations tailored to local solar irradiation levels.
The Committee also recommended that institutions prioritise critical loads such as hospitals, ICT centres, and laboratories for solar and gas power integration.
They call on the institutions to phase out diesel generators, replacing or retrofitting 80 per cent of them with gas-powered units
Other recommendations include to integrate solar, battery, grid, and gas systems for seamless power supply during outages and scale systems to accommodate future institutional growth and changing energy needs
A detailed implementation framework, was also submitted by the committee, including estimated plant capacities and cost projections per institution, as contained in its Executive Summary.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc Sonny Echono, praised the committee’s diligence, technical depth, and patriotic commitment.
It is expected that that the recommendations would guide TETFund’s investments in clean, reliable energy infrastructure in tertiary institutions across the country.
