Energy: TETFund Recommends Alternative Solutions as Backup in Tertiary Institutions

•As 10 institutions benefit from mechanisms farming in 2025 intervention

KuniTyessiin Abuja

A high-powered Steering Committee on Alternative Energy Solutions inaugurated by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, has recommended the adoption of hybrid solar photovoltaic, PV, battery storage, grid integration, and gas-fed backup power systems as the most cost-effective energy solution for Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.

The recommendation followed a nationwide energy audit and technical assessment conducted in collaboration with the Rural Electrification Agency, REA, covering universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education grappling with suffocating energy costs and unreliable supply.

Also, TETFund, has assembled a team of experts to commence the selection of ten beneficiary universities for the establishment of mechanised commercial farms and livestock operations in its 2025 intervention.

While presenting the report yesterday before the TETFund Board of Trustees in Abuja, the Chairman of the Steering Committee on Alternative Energy Solutions Initiative, Sunday Adepoju, stressed that conventional grid power remains unreliable and cost-ineffective, while diesel generators are no longer sustainable for long-term use.

“Institutional energy demands must be met through resilient and cost-efficient solutions. Gas-fired generators offer cleaner backup where natural gas is available, while diesel units should be phased out or retrofitted for cleaner alternatives,” he said.

Adepoju explained that to pilot the initiative, institutions were selected based on geographical representation, student population, infrastructure readiness, and absence from REA’s existing Electrified Education Programme.

According to him, following the audit, the committee reached the conclusion that hybrid energy systems, comprising solar PV, battery storage, grid, and gas-powered backup, present the most resilient and scalable option for Nigerian tertiary institutions.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, praised the committee’s diligence, technical depth, and patriotic commitment.

It is expected that that the recommendations would guide TETFund’s investments in clean, reliable energy infrastructure in tertiary institutions across the country.

Similarly, Chairman of TETFund Board of Trustees, Aminu Bello Masari, said the criteria for selection of the merchandised farming must be Universities of Agriculture or having a robust Faculty of Agriculture.

Masari added that such universities must own at least 50 hectares of unencumbered land, and operating a functional commercial farm with at least one agricultural value chain.

“Most of the institutions have submitted their Expressions of Interest, and it became necessary to constitute this committee to ensure objectivity and transparency in the selection process,” he said.

He also emphasized the importance of modern agricultural technologies such as automation, precision farming, and data analytics, which have transformed agriculture in developed economies and can do the same in Nigeria if properly harnessed.

“Agriculture provides food security, generates income, and contributes to economic growth, especially in developing countries like ours. By promoting agricultural development, we are also promoting inclusive growth and reducing the urban-rural divide,” he said.