Federal Government Approves N7 Billion for Presidential Villa Solar Power Initiative
The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has allocated the sum of N7 billion for the ongoing solarisation project at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. This substantial budgetary provision is contained within the 2026 Appropriation Bill that was submitted to the National Assembly in December 2025, specifically under the State House Headquarters allocation.
Addressing Nigeria's Persistent Power Supply Challenges
The "solarisation of the Villa with solar mini-grid" initiative represents a strategic move to combat Nigeria's enduring electricity supply problems. According to official statements, this solar power installation aims to deliver uninterrupted, clean energy while simultaneously reducing pressure on the national grid infrastructure that has struggled to meet the country's power demands.
This allocation follows previous criticism directed at the Tinubu administration when it earmarked N10 billion for the same solar power project in the 2025 budget. Despite the controversy, government officials have defended the substantial investment as necessary for achieving sustainable energy solutions at the nation's seat of power.
Energy Commission Defends Solar Project Amid Criticism
Mustapha Abdullahi, the Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, has provided strong justification for the solar initiative. He emphasized that continuing to pay an annual electricity bill of approximately N47 billion for Aso Villa operations is fundamentally unsustainable for government finances.
Abdullahi explained during a press conference that this exorbitant electricity expenditure was the primary rationale behind President Tinubu's approval of the initial N10 billion allocation for generating a solar power grid specifically for the presidential villa complex.
Comparative Electricity Expenditures and Additional Allocations
The 2026 budget proposal reveals additional financial provisions related to energy and utilities at the State House:
- N311 million allocated specifically for electricity charges
- N1.99 billion designated for plant and generator operational costs
- N22.23 million budgeted for cooking gas supplies
- N156.66 million earmarked for fueling government motor vehicles
Historical data shows that the State House spent N483.34 million on electricity bills in 2024, representing a significant 40.17 percent increase from the N344.82 million expended in the previous year. This escalating cost pattern has further strengthened the government's argument for transitioning to solar energy solutions.
Recent Power Challenges at the Presidential Villa
The solar power initiative gains additional context from recent electricity disruptions that affected the Presidential Villa. A major power outage impacted at least 53 areas across Abuja, including the Villa complex, due to technical faults in feeders operated by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company.
This disruption affected supply to critical locations including:
- The R4 Injection Substation at Three Arm Zone
- Aso Drive infrastructure
- Naff Valley Estate Injection Sub-Station
- Various surrounding governmental and residential areas
The outage occurred shortly after the Transmission Company of Nigeria announced scheduled seven-hour power interruptions in parts of the Federal Capital Territory for February 22 and 23, 2025, necessitated by preventive maintenance on essential transformers.
The solar power project represents the Tinubu administration's comprehensive approach to addressing both immediate power reliability concerns and long-term sustainable energy objectives at Nigeria's most important governmental facility.
