The Nigerian Youth Development Goals, SDGs has obtained 75 million dollars for the provision of Solar Energy for twelve tertiary institutions and training of youths across the country.
SDGs Youth Network country Representative for Nigeria and African Region, Mr. Ifanyi Uzor disclosed to journalists on Tuesday in Abuja, the nation’ s capital when he played host to the CEO of Blue Mountain Energy, BME Korea, Mr. Jung Cookjin and Executive Director of SDGs Youth International, Mr. Kim Ju Yong who were on a 5-day working visit to the country.
Mr. Uzor said that the aim of the visit was to carry out on-the-spot-assessment of some of the selected 12 tertiary Institutions to benefit from the BME-Saudi Exim Bank Solar Energy Project an Oversea Development Assistance (ODA) of the Saudi-Exim Bank.
He added that the 5-year project will see the provision of Solar Energy across various sectors of the Nigerian economy worth 15 Million USD per year, starting with Provision of 100KVA solar energy to 12 higher Institutions across the six geo-political regions in Nigeria worth 15 Million USD.
The Pilot phase of this project will commence in February, 2024 with 2 Institutions namely: Osun State University, Osogbo, and Federal University of Agriculture, Kebbi State while installation in the remaining 10 Institutions will be spread from February to October, 2024.
The 2nd phase of the Project will be in Public Primary and Secondary Schools in Local Government Areas across the Country, starting from Mokwa LGA of Niger State, North- Central Nigeria.
Speaking further, he said that the 5-day working visit by the Team will attract the siting of a Solar Power Plant in Nigeria, cover the African Region, which will provide job opportunities to the teaming Youths of the country, Lead to the creation of a BME Solar Engineering Course for Nigerian Universities to teach Solar Technology and also provide automatic employment for graduates of BME Solar Engineering by BME Korea, BME Saudi Arabia and other Solar Technology companies overseas.
Mr. Uzor also applauded the Government of Nigeria for its commitment to Youth development and other stakeholders who have supported the SDGs projects.
The Chief Executive Officer of Blue Mountain Energy, BME Korea, Mr. Jung Cookjin who planned to install Solar Energy in Universities in the country, emphasized on his readiness for the Nigerian project, as the most potential in Africa .
“We concluded an arrangement to increase installations to twelve more universities in the country and also to secondary schools, especially boarding schools”.said Mr Cookjin.
Other activities according to him include donations to school, and young people who are in need of the solar and making Nigeria the base camp of the project .
He assured that for the next three months, Nigerians will see the outcome of the solar energy project.
The United Nations Habitat Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Raymond Edoh on behalf of youths and the educational sector in the country commended Mr. Cookjin’s immense love for Africa and also thanked him for partnering with SDGs Nigeria.
” I want to thank you so much for all you do for your generation. All you do for humanity, and all you do for our country as a nation”.added Dr Edoh
He said they will do everything possible to take advantage of the project by involving the 36 state governors in this country to make sure they key into the project.
While appreciating Cookjin for his commitment to the country, Dr Raymond also assured him of the SDGs support for the project.
The Chairman, Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, Jibril Abdullahi commended Mr. Cookjin for his immense developmental contribution to the African continent, particularly Nigeria.
Abdullahi also thanked him for considering Mokwa Local Government as the starting point of the second phase of the secondary and primary education solar installation.