The Federal Government on Friday stated that 37 Federal universities and 7 University teaching hospitals across the country would benefit from the Solar Hybrid Project powered by Energising Education Programme (EEP) under the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).

REA seeks to develop off grid captive power solutions for the generation and provision of sustainable power supply as the EEP will provide street lighting for illumination and safety as well as a world class renewables workshop /training centre for each of the EEP beneficiary institutions.

Commissioning the 2.8MW installed capacity solar hybrid power plant at the Alex Ekweme Federal University Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo stated that the phase 1 of EEP consists of 9 federal universities and one Teaching Hospital which cut across 6 geopolitical zones of the country. He noted that 127,000 students and 28,0000 staff of universities, 4,700 staff of teaching hospitals including 819 doctors would benefit from the programme.

According to him, the phase 1 is fully funded by the federal government and will train 180 females STEM students.

The VP said: “Within this phase there are seven solar hybrid projects currently benefitting from funding from the Green Bond issued by the FGN. While subsequent phases are to be funded by Nigeria Electrification project which is an FGN project administered by the REA in partnership with the World Bank and African Development Bank.”

Speaking during the event, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, o applauded the federal government for bringing diverse infrastructural development to the federal university. He explained that the state government would partner Rural Electrification Agency towards the provision of similar solar plants across the 140 communities of the state including the College of Education, Ikwo and the Headquarters of Ikwo LGA.

The Vice President commissioned a Physiotherapy centre and Observational Bay Centre at the Alex Ekweme Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki.