Nigeria powers up Africa’s ‘largest off-grid solar hybrid’

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
3.5MWp of solar PV, 8.1MWh of battery energy storage and 2.4MW of backup generators will supply more than 55,000 students, 3,000 staff and nearly 3,000 streetlights at BUK. Image: METKA.

The latest project to be switched on in Nigeria’s solar electrification programme for universities is also thought to be the largest ‘hybrid’ plant of its kind on the African continent so far, inaugurated this week at Bayero University Kano (BUK).

Sister title Energy-Storage.news reported towards the beginning of August as the first megawatt-scale hybrid project went into action at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo (FUNAI), Ebonyi State. Nigerian vice president Yemi Osinbajo attended that ceremony, heralding the launch of the wider Energizing Education Programme (EEP), being delivered through the country’s Rural Electrification Agency (REA). Osinbajo said then that the programme would result in the decommissioning of “hundreds” of fossil fuel generators. 

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

In total, 37 universities and seven teaching hospitals will benefit. In addition, the programme includes other initiatives such as encouraging young women into STEM education and jobs, while the latest project at BUK also includes the further benefit of powering hundreds of local street lights.

Phase 1 of EEP, funded by the Nigerian government, will help nine universities and a teaching hospital. Phases 2 and 3 are set to be funded by the World Bank and the African Development Bank respectively.

See here for the full story as initially published by sister title Energy-Storage.news

17 June 2025
Napa, USA
PV Tech has been running PV ModuleTech Conferences since 2017. PV ModuleTech USA, on 17-18 June 2025, will be our fourth PV ModulelTech conference dedicated to the U.S. utility scale solar sector. The event will gather the key stakeholders from solar developers, solar asset owners and investors, PV manufacturing, policy-making and and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out the PV module supply channels to the U.S. out to 2026 and beyond.
10 March 2026
Frankfurt, Germany
The conference will gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing out to 2030 and beyond.

Read Next

April 29, 2025
Chinese solar manufacturing giant JinkoSolar posted net losses of US$181.7 million in the first quarter of 2025 amid low product prices and “changes in international trade policies.”
Premium
April 29, 2025
“There is an adjustment in the industry [where] there are cycles,” explains Laura Fortes, senior manager for access to finance at GOGLA.
April 29, 2025
Solar cannot be regarded as a 'set and forget' technology and must be fully maintained to prevent systemic underperformance.
April 28, 2025
Fraunhofer ISE has developed a solar cell which uses “one-tenth” of the amount of silver as a standard cell.
April 28, 2025
Beleaguered Norwegian silicon producer REC Silicon has received a buyout offer from its largest shareholder, Hanwha Corporation.
April 28, 2025
Acciona Energía has completed the construction of a 308MW solar PV power plant near the coastal city of Gladstone in Queensland, Australia.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Media Partners, Solar Media Events
May 7, 2025
Munich, Germany
Solar Media Events
May 21, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
June 17, 2025
Napa, USA
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK