The federal government has commenced the installation of a ₦12 billion, seven-megawatt solar power plant at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), barely two days after the facility’s public clash with Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) over electricity supply.
The project, unveiled on Wednesday in Kano, is designed to make the hospital self-sufficient in power and reduce dependence on the national grid. It is the first in a nationwide plan to provide solar energy to all federal teaching hospitals and universities.
Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Abubakar Bichi—who facilitated the initiative—described the project as a milestone under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He noted that more than ₦26 billion worth of projects have already been attracted to AKTH this year, with similar solar installations planned for Bayero University Kano, ADUSTECH Wudil, Murtala Specialist Hospital, and Nasarawa Hospital.
“This initiative is proof of President Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening healthcare through reliable infrastructure,” Bichi said while thanking the president for his approval.
Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Uche Nnaji, said the solarization effort represents a practical step in turning government’s clean energy vision into reality. Similarly, Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, assured that the plant would be completed before the end of December. According to him, the project is the first in a rollout expected to cover all 36 states and the FCT.
AKTH Chief Medical Director, Professor Abdulrahman Sheshe, explained that the hospital currently spends about ₦150 million monthly on electricity bills and an additional ₦30 million on diesel for generators. He stressed that the solar project will significantly cut operational costs and improve service delivery.
Before the ceremony, Hon. Bichi inspected construction work on a five-storey Accident and Emergency Centre at the hospital, another federal project aimed at boosting healthcare services in Kano.
