ABU paid about ₦2bn in last few months for electricity – Vice-Chancellor
Ahmadu Bello University paid about two billion Naira in the last few months to the Kaduna Electric for electricity, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Adamu Ahmed, has disclosed.
The Vice-Chancellor, however, explained that the institution’s cost for electricity consumption was reduced through the workings of different committees raised by the university to save energy wastage.
Prof Ahmed disclosed this when he spoke at the launching of ABU Energy and Innovation Challenge held at Yusufu Bala Usman Hall, ABU, Zaria.
ABU Energy and Innovation Challenge (ABUEIC) is an initiative aimed at addressing the persistent energy challenges in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
The initiative was designed as a university-wide programme to discover and support practical homegrown clean solutions developed by students, staff, and alumni.
The Vice-Chancellor said the university had for long relied on external support to address energy crisis, declaring that it was “now time for action”.
He said the university management would continue to support the Faculty of Engineering and Chairman of ABU Energy and Innovation Challenge, Dr A S Abdulrasheed, for efforts towards addressing energy challenge.
The Vice-Chancellor also expressed gratitude to the Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Dr Abba Aliyu, for the donation of 450 solar street lights to the university.
In his remarks at the occasion, the Managing Director, Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Dr Abba Aliyu, spoke on the mandate of the agency, saying REA was established to accelerate the generation of electricity in rural areas.
Aliyu, who was represented by Dr Bala Tyoden, said ABU was one of the beneficiaries of the agency’s mega electricity package for tertiary institutions.
He also said ABU had not only been an observer at the agency’s concluded investment forum but also a catalyst for progress.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Director, Centre for Energy Research and Training (CERT), Ahmadu Bello University, Prof S A Jonah, gave an insight on what energy was all about.
Jonah argued that energy remained the life blood of modern development in Nigeria.
Nigeria and ABU, according to him, could not afford to be left behind in terms of research that would solve the energy challenge of the country.
In a presentation, a representative of the Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited, Engr. Hassana O Abubakar, stressed that ABU could be powered through combined intellectual capacity and technology.
Hassana, therefore, called on the university management to leverage on Public Private Partnership (PPP) in order to overcome the energy challenge.
………………………………………
Public Affairs Directorate,
Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (AHW)
Monday, 3rd November, 2025.
