The Lagos State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Chinese company to implement solar power systems across key educational institutions.
The agreement was announced in a statement by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, as part of the ongoing Africa-China Cooperation Summit (#FOCAC2024) in Beijing, where President Bola Tinubu is leading the Nigerian delegation on a state visit to China.
The project, according to the Governor is aimed at generating about 50 megawatts (MW) of cleaner and more affordable electricity, will see the installation of solar power systems at the Lagos State University of Science and Technology, Lagos State University of Education, and Lagos State College of Medicine.
“This project will reduce our institutions’ dependence on grid electricity and fossil fuels, contributing significantly to environmental sustainability,” he said.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, who signed the MoU, emphasised that this initiative underscores Lagos State’s commitment to incorporating sustainable energy solutions as a cornerstone of its economic development strategy.
The governor’s sentiments were echoed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who witnessed the signing and highlighted the importance of such collaborations in driving Nigeria’s energy transition.
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The development, he said aligns with Lagos State’s broader vision of becoming a leader in renewable energy adoption in Nigeria, enhancing the state’s energy security, and reducing its carbon footprint.
This follows a recent statementby the management of UNILAG, that said the university was cut off by the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) despite paying N180m recently.
“Just two weeks after our meeting, we were hit with a staggering bill of nearly half a billion naira (N472m) for July, further increasing our debt burden!
“We kept our promise and paid N180m on August 20, yet on August 27, EKEDC disconnected us without notice and has refused to reconnect the university to the national grid,” the university said.
However, the EKEDC Corporate Communications and Strategy General Manager, Babatunde Lasaki, stated that the University of Lagos electricity was disconnected from the power grid over its failure to pay its over N1bn electricity debt.
“The management of Eko Electricity Distribution Company wishes to acknowledge the recent reports regarding the disconnection of the power supply to the University of Lagos, despite a payment of N180m for July.
“It is imperative to clarify that this payment only partially defrays a small fraction of the outstanding debt owed by the university, which significantly exceeds the amount paid and currently stands at over N1bn, (N1,035,197,446.43),” Lasaki explained.
