Abuja — The installation of a solar mini-grid at the Presidential Villa is designed to reduce the facility’s heavy draw on the national electricity grid and thereby free up more power for ordinary Nigerians, an All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council spokesperson has said.
Kemi Asekun-Shittu made the defence on Friday during an interview on Naija Info FM in Lagos. She explained that President Bola Tinubu’s decision to switch Aso Rock to solar power was aimed at cutting the Villa’s dependence on the national grid amid rising electricity costs and unreliable supply.
“And Mr. President said, okay, you know what? We are paying so much for power here. Let me come out of here. Let’s do solar here,” Asekun-Shittu stated. “Since we have free sun in Nigeria, I think that he should be for that because that leaves more power for the people.”
The comments follow reports that the State House allocated ₦10 billion in the 2025 approved budget for a project titled “Solarisation of the Villa with Solar Mini Grid.” An additional ₦7 billion was provided in the 2026 budget, bringing total funding to approximately ₦17 billion.
Officials have described the previous annual electricity bill for the sprawling presidential complex as unsustainable, estimated at around ₦47 billion. The Villa had also faced public scrutiny over outstanding bills with the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).
State House Permanent Secretary Temitope Fashedemi earlier informed lawmakers that the solar installation was completed towards the end of 2025 and had been undergoing technical evaluation. Authorities had hoped to complete a full cutover from the national grid by March 2026. Large sections of the complex, including open areas and car parks, have been fitted with solar panels supported by battery storage systems to provide uninterrupted power.
As proof of concept, officials pointed to the State House Medical Centre, which completed its own solar installation in May 2025 and has since operated almost entirely without diesel generators, drawing only minimal supply from AEDC.
Proponents argue that taking the high-consumption Presidential Villa off the grid will ease pressure on the national system and leave more electricity available for households and businesses. Critics have questioned the priority of spending billions on the seat of government while millions of Nigerians continue to endure epileptic power supply.
Backup generators are expected to remain available for emergencies, but reliance on diesel is projected to drop significantly once the solar system is fully operational. The project forms part of broader efforts by the Tinubu administration to cut the cost of governance and promote renewable energy at the highest levels of government.
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