Major General Muhammadu Buhari, the president of Nigeria, recently instituted a sizable solar energy facility in Kano, one of the country's northernmost states.
The President, on Monday, inaugurated the 10-megawatt Kano Solar Power Project, funded by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) with $16m.
According to the NSIA, the project had the president’s stamp of approval, as he expressed satisfaction with the calibre of work put forth in the construction of the solar power facilities.
The $16 million project was unveiled by the Nigerian president alongside, the Governor of Kano State, Umar Ganduje; the Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning; Zainab Ahmed; the Chairman of NSIA Board of Directors, Farouk Gumel; and the Managing Director, NSIA, Aminu Umar-Sadiq, among others.
“The project is currently the largest grid-connected solar PV plant and is proof of successful mid-sized solar PV deployment in Nigeria,” a statement from the NSIA read.
The NSIA noted that they were appointed by the President to oversee the funding and construction of the 10 MW solar project on a 24-acre tract of land in Kumbotso Local Government, Kano State. The NSIA’s directives from the president were to conceptualize, develop, construct, and operationalize, the Kano Solar Power project.
Nigeria has for the most part struggled with power generation and as a result projects like this tend to fix major issues in communities across the country.
However, this specific project was created to accomplish two goals at once. On the one hand, it helps to chip away at some of the nation's power crises, and on the other, it prevents the area from increasing its carbon imprint.
“The project also builds Nigeria’s credentials in the fight against climate change and our commitment to attaining net zero carbon emissions by 2060,” the NSIA stated.
Speaking at the inauguration, the Managing Director of the NSIA, Umar-Sadiq noted that the 10MW Kano Solar Project will have a big socioeconomic and environmental impact since it would give nearby businesses and consumers access to clean, affordable, and sustainable electricity.
He also added that the factory featured more than 21,000 solar PV panels, two 6MVA transformers, 52 inverters, a warehouse and storage building, a control room, office, and workshop, among other things, and that it had created roughly 2,000 direct and indirect jobs for the neighbourhood.
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