The Federal Government is planning to establish a national call centre where electricity consumers across the country can report power outages and other service-related complaints for faster resolution.
The Minister of Power, Chief Joseph Tegbe, disclosed this on Wednesday during the commissioning of a 3-megawatt hybrid mini-grid project and a renewable energy workshop and training centre at Yakubu Gowon University, formerly the University of Abuja.
Tegbe said the proposed call centre would provide a central platform for consumers to lodge electricity complaints and have them addressed.
He added that the government also planned to create a dedicated channel for reporting the vandalism of critical electricity infrastructure so that security agencies could respond promptly.
The minister said the initiative could also create sustainable employment opportunities for young Nigerians.
Tegbe disclosed that the government was working with a joint team comprising the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to tackle the vandalism of electricity infrastructure nationwide.
He also urged students to help protect power assets, particularly the newly commissioned solar facility.
The minister called on students to report cases of vandalism involving the solar installation as well as other electricity infrastructure, including transformers and transmission towers.
3MW project to benefit 58,726 students
The newly commissioned hybrid mini-grid is part of Phase Two of the Energising Education Programme, which covers seven universities and two teaching hospitals.
At Yakubu Gowon University, the project consists of a 3.3MWp solar array, with 3MW of AC output capacity and 2 megawatt-hours of battery storage.
The battery system is designed to support critical loads after daylight hours, while a dedicated grid connection will serve non-critical electricity demand outside solar operating periods.
Tegbe said the project would benefit 58,726 students, while 388 streetlights installed as part of the project would improve lighting and security around the campus.
He said providing reliable electricity to the university would support research activities, reduce reliance on diesel generators and lower pressure on the institution’s finances.
The minister described the investment in electricity infrastructure as part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, saying improved power supply would support essential services and productive activities.
REA highlights sustainability of renewable projects
The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency, REA, Abba Aliyu, said the Energising Education Programme was about more than increasing electricity generation.
He said the programme also had implications for functional laboratories, institutional budgets and safer learning environments.
Aliyu said the Renewable Asset Management Company, RAMCO, was established to address the challenge of maintaining renewable energy infrastructure and ensuring that investments continue to provide value over time.
According to him, building renewable energy infrastructure and managing it are separate responsibilities, requiring long-term planning and cooperation among stakeholders.
He said RAMCO would help manage, monitor, maintain and optimise renewable energy assets.
Aliyu also announced the establishment of a Renewable Energy Workshop and Training Centre to strengthen local technical capacity.
He encouraged Yakubu Gowon University to develop the facility into a research hub focused on distributed energy resources, including new academic programmes and technological innovations.
The REA boss disclosed that the Energising Education Programme had delivered more than 100MW of electricity across 22 federal institutions and university teaching hospitals.
University pledges to maintain facility
The Vice-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University, Prof. Akinwunmi Fawehinmi, said reliable electricity was essential for effective teaching, research and a conducive learning environment.
He commended the Federal Government’s intervention and pledged that the university would ensure the facility was properly utilised and maintained.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, also commended the project, describing it as important to improving the quality of education in Nigeria.
Abaribe also welcomed the establishment of RAMCO, noting that sustainability would be necessary to ensure that renewable energy projects continue benefiting Nigerians after their commissioning.
Source: PUNCH
