The Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja is set to fully disconnect from Nigeria’s national electricity grid by March 2026, following the completion and testing of its solar mini-grid, State House Permanent Secretary Temitope Fashedemi has confirmed.
The solar installation, completed late in 2025, has undergone technical trials, and officials are optimistic that the Villa will rely entirely on the system within the first quarter of 2026.
The project received N10 billion in the 2025 budget and an additional N7 billion in the 2026 appropriation to ensure its completion. Officials say the initiative is expected to cut electricity costs, reduce dependence on diesel generators, and ease pressure on the national grid, which has faced persistent challenges.
Fashedemi cited the State House Medical Centre’s transition to solar power earlier in 2025 as a successful example, where battery storage and minimal grid supply have allowed continuous operations.
The switch to solar is also aimed at addressing previous issues with unusually high electricity bills and alleged overbilling by power distributors. Once fully operational, the Villa will largely retire its aging generators, keeping only a few for emergency backup, while setting a precedent for sustainable energy use in government facilities.
The government maintains that the project is part of broader efforts to diversify energy sources, lower operational costs, and promote renewable energy adoption in Nigeria’s key institutions.
