Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has criticised plans to energy the Aso Rock Presidential Villa with photo voltaic power, warning that the transfer suggests neglect of Nigeria’s nationwide electrical energy grid.
The remarks have been contained in an announcement launched on his X account in response to studies that the Presidential Villa could disconnect from the nationwide grid to rely absolutely on solar energy.
The criticism comes amid persistent energy provide challenges nationwide and renewed debate over authorities’s dedication to fixing the electrical energy system.
What Obi stated
Within the assertion, Obi recalled a marketing campaign promise attributed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who pledged that Nigerians mustn’t re-elect him if he failed to offer regular electrical energy inside 4 years.
Obi argued that the nationwide grid has continued to carry out poorly for greater than two years into the administration.
- “These have been the highly effective phrases then that impressed hope amongst Nigerians who longed for gentle of their houses, stability for his or her companies, and development for his or her nation. But, whereas Nigerians are nonetheless grappling with that unfulfilled, categorical electoral promise – and with out clear communication on the obstacles,” he acknowledged
- In line with him, the choice to disconnect the seat of energy from the nationwide grid raises considerations concerning the authorities’s dedication to enhancing the electrical energy provide nationwide.
- “It’s a gross neglect and deeply worrisome when the seat of energy abandons the nationwide grid. One would count on authorities establishments to guide efforts to strengthen and develop the grid in order that different institutions, and in the end, residents can profit,” he stated.
Backstory
Reviews about plans to transition the Presidential Villa to photo voltaic power gained consideration following provisions within the 2025 funds allocating about N10 billion for solar energy infrastructure, alongside additional allocations within the 2026 funds for upgrades and upkeep.
The event comes greater than two years into the present administration, throughout which Nigeria has continued to face grid instability, frequent system collapses and restricted era capability.
Electrical energy provide stays a serious constraint for households and companies, lots of which depend on expensive diesel and petrol mills to complement unreliable grid energy.
Extra particulars
Obi stated that whereas renewable power adoption is commendable and crucial for the long run, the event displays a deeper governance concern.
- He argued that management mustn’t isolate itself from the day by day struggles confronted by residents, noting that Nigerians proceed to cope with unreliable energy provide and safety challenges.
- “You can’t inform the individuals to quick whereas feasting your self, securing your self whereas Nigerians stay unsecured,” he acknowledged.
- The previous Anambra State governor stated Nigerians could not count on full fulfilment of marketing campaign guarantees however count on seen effort, measurable enhancements and clear explanations when gaps exist.
- He emphasised that management should prioritise public welfare and be certain that insurance policies replicate compassion and dedication to the ruled fairly than detach from it.
What you must know
Nigeria’s energy sector has confronted repeated instability lately, with a number of grid collapses highlighting the fragility of the nationwide electrical energy system. In 2024 alone, the grid collapsed 9 occasions, making it probably the most unstable years for energy provide.
- As of early 2026, the grid has already skilled not less than one nationwide collapse, with outages ceaselessly attributed to gasoline provide shortages, transmission bottlenecks, and technical faults.
- Knowledge from the Nigerian Electrical energy Regulatory Fee (NERC) January 2026 factsheet reveals that grid-connected energy crops persistently function under put in capability, reflecting persistent availability challenges throughout the era section.
- In line with the report, Nigeria’s complete put in era capability stood at 13,625 megawatts, however solely a mean of 4,901 megawatts was obtainable for dispatch in the course of the month, representing a Plant Availability Issue (PAF) of 36%.
- The Common Load Issue (ALF) was recorded at 90%, indicating that about 4,421 megawatts per hour of obtainable energy was dispatched and consumed. This factors to robust demand and restricted reserve margins inside the system, leaving the grid susceptible to additional failures.
