Faculty of Engineering launches ‘ABU Energy Innovation Challenge’
The Faculty of Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, has launched ‘ABU Energy Innovation Challenge’ (ABUEIC).
The launching of ABUEIC took place on Wednesday, 17th September, 2025, at the ACENPEE Smart Class Room.
ABUEIC is a groundbreaking initiative aimed at addressing the persistent energy challenges of Ahmadu Bello University.
The initiative was designed as a university-wide programme to discover and support practical, homegrown clean solutions developed by students, staff and alumni.
It is also aimed at reducing energy cost, minimise diesel dependency and strengthen renewable energy integration on campus.
In a welcome address, the Dean Faculty of Engineering, Prof J.M Kaura, said ABU was a home of innovation.
Prof Kaura stated that the ABUEIC was an initiative aimed at utilising the vast university resources to proffer solutions to the ABU energy challenge.
The Dean said the exorbitant electricity bills the university was paying were a challenge to the Faculty of Engineering, as there were so many talents that would be able to address the challenge.
He said the desire of ABUEIC Chairman, Dr A. S Abdulrasheed, to venture into energy solution started in 2018, when he championed the revival of the famous Kainji Dam Model in the Faculty of Engineering, which earned him a TETFUND grant to be able to execute the initiative.
Unveiling the initiative, the Chairman of ABUEIC, Dr A. S Abdulrasheed, stated that the idea was nurtured when he was nominated to be part of a committee to demolish the famous ABU Kainji Dam Model in Faculty of Engineering.
Dr Abdulrasheed said he was inspired because ABU had a history with Kainji, due to the presence of Kainji Theatre, Kainji Lake and Kainji Dam Model in the University.
According to him, reconnecting ABU and Kainji would signify a lots to the university.
He said he wrote a proposal and secured a grant for the execution of the project.
The Chairman emphasised that the importance of the project was significant, because based on statistics of the Africa’s Energy Landscape, over 600 million Africans lack access to electricity and that Africa’s share of global energy was less than three per cent.
Dr Abdulrasheed said Nigeria was rich in energy, but experienced 46 failures between 2017 and 2023, 12 in 2024 and 5 in 2025.
He said he was always unhappy each time he heard of ABU’s electricity disconnection, hence his desire to actualize the project.
Dr Abdulrasheed underscored the capacity of ABU in terms of self reliant, competent intellectuals, professionals and research ethics in energy generation.
In a remark, the Dean, Students Affairs Division, Prof Sahalu B Junaidu, said the ABUEIC would have support of every student, staff, alumni and friends of the university.
Prof Sahalu said he had once been challenged by an Army General to design a solution to the university’s energy challenge.
The Dean said it was important that ABU actualise the project.
In a goodwill message, a former Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Prof I. A Dabo commended, Dr Abdulrasheed for the initiative.
In her remarks, the Dean, Faculty of Life Sciences, Prof Maryam Aminu, thanked the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Adamu Ahmed, for seeing the vision in Dr Abdulrasheed and encouraged him on the project.
In a vote of thanks, the Director, CBN Centre for Economics and Finance, Prof Auwal Haruna, expressed delight being part of the team and wished that the project would come to reality.
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Public Affairs Directorate,
Office of the Vice-Chancellor,
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (AHW)
Saturday 20th September, 2025
