THE National Universities Commission (NUC) has taken steps in the efforts at proffering energy solutions to Nigerian universities which, according to the commission, is an important missing link in the nation’s university system.
The executive secretary of NUC, Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, who noted that gas-powered energy system, will be the best for the university system, has accordingly held a metting with the management of Midstream and Downstream Infrastructure Fund (MDGIF) on how to ensure alternative energy supplies in Nigerian universities.
He noted that there was a need to resolve the energy crisis in Nigerian universities following the epileptic power supply in most parts of the country, affecting the smooth running of the institutions.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that the meeting was held with a delegation led by the executive director of MDGIF, Mansur Kuliya.
Professor Rasheed added that energy constituted a critical component of running a university and that to live in the uncertainty of having light constantly, was something we had forcefully embraced in the nation’s university campuses over the past decades.
He told the delegation that when he was a student, it was rare for light to be taken, adding that today one could not guarantee when light would be available in a semester.
He noted that so many initiatives and experiments had been undertaken over the past few years with the most recent one being the RED intervention for alternative power (solar) besides plants in Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ife, and University of Lagos (UNILAG).
He disclosed that these were the only ones with the proposed gas power plant, stressing that the other universities involved were solar-driven.
The NUC boss said that the government had spent billions of naira to put power in the nation’s universities campuses, but the problem had always being compounded.
He cited the example of the Bayero University Kano (BUK) which installed one centralised solar plant of 3.6 KVA and made it an integrated one with diesel, national grid and solar power with 2,160 batteries.
He said that the vice chancellor of the institution informed him that he needed N900m to replace the batteries for an optimal usage.
Rasheed explained further that despite the huge amount of money being spent on the project; “this infrastructure did not guarantee light in the university for 24 hours, not even for 14hrs, as the institution was buying a truck of 40,000 litres in a week, which according to him, was unsustainable.
He noted that that the last two trucks were bought for N39 million.
The NUC boss recounted an incident that happened two years ago when the World Bank delegated an assessment team which came back to report that the students told them that they usually stay indoors at night because there was no light for them to study and that they could be attacked under the influence of darkness.
He also lamented that darkness was a precursor for crime, saying that most university campuses are always in darkness, and to change the narrative will require money as energy cannot be accessed free.
According to him, nothing is free any more in the government circle, noting that to have an acceptable, affordable and reliable access to electricity in our campuses; the gas powered energy system might be the answer.
He said that it was on this premise that the executive director, MDGI, Mansur Kaliya approached him with a proposal to invite some vice chancellors of some universities to explore the possibility of migrating this form of energy to the universities.
He recounted that both teams agreed to bring the consultants to come and interface with the vice chancellors to explore the possibility of migrating to this form of energy.
Professor Rasheed told the visitors that the role of NUC was to mediate and ensure smooth and speedy take-off of the project, explaining that the pilot scheme would comprise the first six and the other seven generation universities along with some selected universities that have distinguished themselves.
In his remarks, Alhaji Mansar Kaliya, expressed delight for the warm reception accorded them and congratulated the Executive Secretary on the giant strides recorded in the Nigerian University System (NUS).
He told the NUC management that the Petroleum Industrial Act (PIA) of 2021 Section 52 established the Midstream & Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund.
He noted that MDGIF was established to open gas industries and infrastructure, adding that since the advent of crude oil in Nigeria investment was done mainly on hydrocarbons.
He said the gas reserve in Nigeria was enough to cater for the energy needs of the country and Africa at large, saying that the investment universities would be able to generate 24hrs of reliable electricity.
He added if the project was properly implemented in two years, Nigerian Universities would be able to generate enough electricity to meet the needs of the university system.
