The Federal Government has powered 24 federal institutions by solar energy under the “Energising Education Project.’’

Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, who made the disclosure on Wednesday in Abuja, at the Collaboration Agreement Signing Ceremony with the Vice Chancellors of beneficiary institutions, said eight more universities have signed collaboration agreements to join the fourth phase of the project.

“This project brings continuous 24-hour electricity to our institutions.

“It allows for increased academic activity, powers laboratories and libraries throughout the day and night, and improves living and learning conditions for both students and faculty,’’ he said.

The minister emphasised that the initiative had a huge potential of transforming the economy of the campus and its environs.

“Any campus is a community by itself. With constant power supply, you unleash high economic activity,” he said.

The Managing Director, Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abba Aliyu, said that the phases 1, 2, and 3 of the project have so far impacted over 600,000 students and 50,000 academic staffers.

Aliyu said that the project had also generated over 100 megawatts of electricity to power university campuses and teaching hospitals.

He said the initiative, implemented through multiple phases, had already brought solar mini-grid infrastructure to 24 federal universities across the country.

“What you are seeing here is one of our interventions in the education sector, and the aim is to ensure that universities have a sustainable and affordable electricity supply,” he said.

The eight new beneficiary institutions include: Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and Federal University, Wukari, Taraba state.

Others are Federal University Dutse, University of Benin, University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and University of Lagos.