Dr A S Abdulrasheed speaks on ABU energy challenge initiative
Dr A S Abdulrasheed, the Principal Investigator for the ongoing research towards addressing the energy challenge in Ahmadu Bello University, spoke on the project, saying the initiative was as a result of incessant disconnection of ABU electricity.
Abdulrasheed, a lecturer at the Department of Civil Engineering, spoke during the conversation on the ABU Energy and Innovation Challenge (ABUEIC), an event that was held at Yusufu Bala Usman Hall, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
Christened ‘Beyond the Grid: Powering ABU’s Energy Future’, the initiative was essentially to discover and support practical, and homegrown clean solutions developed by students, staff, and alumni.
According to him, he wrote a proposal and secured a grant for the project.
He said the idea was nurtured when he was nominated to be part of a committee for the demolition of the famous ABU Kainji Dam Model at the Faculty of Engineering.
The Principal Investigator said he was also inspired as ABU had a link with the Kainji Dam which students of the Faculty of Engineering used for practical lessons.
Dr Abdulrasheed further said reconnecting ABU and Kainji would mean a lot to the university.
He underscored the capacity of ABU in terms of self reliance, competent intellectuals, professionals and research ethics in energy generation.
Based on Africa’s energy landscape, according to him, over 600 million Africans lacked access to electricity.
Abdulrasheed, who said Africa’s share of global energy was less than three percent, explained that Nigeria was rich in energy but experienced a total of 46 grid failures between 2017 and 2023, 12 in 2024, and 5 in 2025.
In a goodwill message at the occasion, Kaduna State Commissioner of Education, Prof Abubakar Sani Sambo, emphasised that ABU had the capacity to generate its own electricity and even sell to neighbouring communities.
The commissioner also expressed delight over the collaboration between the university and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and urged that such effort should be sustained.
Also speaking, the Dean, Faculty of Life Sciences, Prof Maryam Aminu, explained that ABUEIC reflected the collective recognition that sustainable, reliable, and affordable energy was not a luxury for an academic community but a lifeblood.
Maryam said as an advisor to ABUEIC she was proud of the vision driving the initiative which aligned research with real-world impact, linking academia, industry, and government towards one goal.
Prof Maryam commended the Vice-Chancellor for his steadfast support, the ABUEIC leadership for dedication, and partners for believing in ABU capacity to lead in energy research and innovation.
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Public Affairs Directorate,
Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (AHW)
Tuesday, 4th November, 2025
