The Federal Government has provided clarification on its decision to install a solar power grid at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, emphasizing the need for sustainable and cost-effective energy solutions at the nation’s seat of power.
Speaking during a press briefing on Friday, the Director General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Mustapha Abdullahi, said that the decision was necessitated by the unsustainable electricity expenditure currently being incurred by the Presidential Villa. According to him, the Villa spends approximately ₦47 billion annually on electricity bills, a cost that is no longer feasible.
To address this challenge, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the allocation of ₦10 billion for the installation of a solar power system to serve the Presidential Villa. Abdullahi noted that the project aligns with the President’s broader agenda to diversify the country’s energy sources and reduce the overall cost of governance.
He further explained that the transition to solar energy will not only provide uninterrupted and clean power to Aso Rock but will also stimulate job creation, drive technological innovation among Nigerian engineers and energy experts, and ease the burden on the national electricity grid.
Abdullahi also disclosed that several innovative initiatives under the current administration have begun to attract international interest. He revealed that development partners have already pledged about $5.3 billion in investment towards Nigeria’s power sector, particularly in efforts aimed at expanding the national electricity grid.
Background: Aso Rock’s Electricity Debt and Tinubu’s Intervention
In early 2024, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) raised an alarm over unpaid electricity bills by the Presidential Villa. In a public notice titled ‘Notice of Disconnection’, the distribution company claimed that Aso Rock owed a staggering ₦923.87 million. It went on to issue a 10-day ultimatum to the Villa and 86 other government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to settle their collective ₦47.1 billion electricity debt or face disconnection from the power supply.
Following the threat of disconnection, President Tinubu swiftly intervened to prevent power outages at the nation’s most important government facility. A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the President’s directive for the immediate settlement of the outstanding electricity bill.
Onanuga clarified that after a reconciliation exercise between the State House Management and AEDC, it was determined that the actual amount owed by the Villa was ₦342,352,217.46 — a significant reduction from the initially reported ₦923 million.
The reconciliation was formally communicated in a letter dated February 14, 2024, from AEDC to the Permanent Secretary of the State House. Following this, the President’s Chief of Staff, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, assured that the corrected amount would be paid promptly.
Gbajabiamila also used the opportunity to call on other MDAs to engage with AEDC, reconcile their respective accounts, and ensure the timely settlement of their electricity bills.
