The Federal Government has defended its decision to install a solar power system at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, citing the unsustainable cost of its current electricity expenses.
According to the Director General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Mustapha Abdullahi, the government spends approximately ₦47 billion annually on power—a burden he says is no longer viable.
Abdullahi explained that this rising cost informed President Bola Tinubu’s approval of a ₦10 billion solar project to power the presidential villa. The move, he said, is part of a broader effort to reduce the cost of governance and align with Tinubu’s agenda to diversify Nigeria’s energy sources.
In 2024, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) had revealed in a public notice that the Presidential Villa owed nearly ₦924 million in unpaid electricity bills. The notice also named 86 ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) with a combined debt of ₦47.1 billion, threatening to disconnect them unless payment was made within 10 days.
Speaking during a press briefing on Friday, Abdullahi said the solar installation would provide uninterrupted, clean energy for the seat of power while also creating job opportunities and encouraging innovation among local engineers and energy professionals.
Beyond Aso Rock, he emphasized that the initiative could serve as a model for sustainable power use across other government institutions, ultimately reducing the strain on the national grid.
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