By Awyetu Asabe Hope
The Federal Government has proposed to spend N30.34 billion on solar mini-grids, inverters and solar generators in the 2026 budget as persistent power shortages and repeated national grid collapses continue to disrupt electricity supply across the country.
An analysis of the budget shows that several Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) plan to deploy solar power systems to electrify government facilities, schools and communities nationwide.
The State House is the highest spender, proposing N7 billion for a solar mini-grid to power infrastructure at the seat of government. The National Centre for Technology Management, Ile-Ife, also earmarked N7 billion for the construction and installation of clean energy systems in selected communities, partly to address security concerns.
Similarly, the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria proposed N3.5 billion for solar mini-grids to enhance productivity in parts of the South-South and South-East, while the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) plans to spend N1.26 billion on solar power generators for the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences in Ebonyi State.
Other MDAs made provisions ranging from N1.05 billion to below N200 million for solar projects, covering police formations, universities, research institutes and rural communities across several states.
Energy experts have warned that the growing shift of public institutions and heavy power users away from the national grid could worsen revenue losses for electricity distribution companies and raise costs for consumers still connected to the grid.
The Executive Director of PowerUp Nigeria, Adetayo Adegbemle, said the Federal Government must prioritise policies that make grid power reliable and attractive to industries, noting that manufacturers spend trillions of naira annually on self-generated electricity.
According to him, rebuilding the national grid around industrial and commercial users is critical to achieving affordable electricity, industrial growth and long-term stability in the power sector.