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The Federal Government has defended its decision to approve a ₦10 billion solar installation project at the Aso Rock Villa, citing the burden of an annual electricity bill of ₦47 billion as a major factor.
Director General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Mustapha Abdullahi, made this known while addressing the media on Friday. He explained that the initiative, approved by President Bola Tinubu, is part of a strategic move to cut down on government expenditure and promote clean, sustainable energy.
“It is no longer sustainable for the government to keep paying over ₦47 billion yearly in electricity bills,” Abdullahi said.
The development follows a 2024 advertorial by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), titled ‘Notice of Disconnection’, which revealed that the Presidential Villa alone owed ₦923.87 million in electricity charges. The notice also threatened to disconnect power to Aso Rock and 86 other federal ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) over the ₦47.1 billion collective debt.
Abdullahi further noted that the transition to solar energy aligns with President Tinubu’s broader energy diversification agenda. He added that the project would ensure uninterrupted power supply to the Villa, reduce reliance on the national grid, encourage innovation among Nigerian engineers, and create new job opportunities within the renewable energy sector.
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