The Yobe State Government has secured a $5 million grant from the World Bank to provide solar-powered electricity to six major health and educational institutions across the State.

This was contained in a statement signed by Mustapha Abba Geidam, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Transport and Energy, noting that the project aimed to improve service delivery and reduce reliance on diesel.

The Intervention is designed to tackle persistent electricity challenges that have hindered effective healthcare delivery and academic activities in the State.

The project, facilitated through a partnership between the state government, the Federal Rural Electrification Agency (REA), and the World Bank, will deploy rooftop Solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems to ensure a stable and cost-effective power supply.

The benefiting institutions include four healthcare facilities — Specialist Hospital Potiskum, Specialist Hospital Geidam, Specialist Hospital Buni Yadi, and General Hospital Nguru—as well as Umar Suleiman College of Education, Gashua, and Yobe State University, Damaturu.

He noted that installing solar PV systems would guarantee an uninterrupted power supply, reduce operational costs associated with diesel generators, and promote environmental sustainability.

The project follows a comprehensive feasibility study and energy needs assessment, which confirmed that most buildings in the selected institutions are structurally suitable for rooftop solar installations, with alternative provisions for ground-mounted systems where necessary.

Geidam stated that the detailed project proposal had been formally submitted to Abba Aliyu, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency, for immediate consideration and implementation.

The Initiative, he said, reflects Governor Mai Mala Buni’s commitment to improving infrastructure, enhancing public service delivery, and advancing renewable energy adoption in Yobe State.

The State Government also expressed appreciation to the World Bank and the Rural Electrification Agency for their support, reaffirming its readiness to ensure the project’s successful execution. (BusinessDay)

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