The Federal Government will deploy solar power grids to 200 primary health centres (PHC) and 104 Unity Schools in the next 12 months, Minister of Power, Sale Mamman has said yesterday in Abuja.
The programme tagged ‘Energy for All – Mass Rural Electrification’ is expected to be implemented through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).
Speaking on the programme, Mamman said the plan would be financed by the Federal Government through budgetary allocation.
The programme which is under the National Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) is to support the country’s economic recovery in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the component of the project, Mamman said, solar power mini-grids will be deployed to 200 PHC with the provision of solar-powered street lights to the host communities.
At the 104 unity schools, the government would according to him distribute Solar Home Systems (SHS) while providing solar-powered street lights within the campuses.
Mamman added that upon completion, the programme would enable job creation, improve energy access and help the federal government to attain 30 percent of renewable energy contributing to the power sources by 2030.
The minister added that the REA has been advancing processes with the World Bank financing under the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) to close the energy gap in the health sector.
Through this, the Agency would deploy hybrid solar power solutions to 100 secondary and tertiary health facilities which have also served as isolation and treatment centres, he said.