Lokoja: President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to enhancing investment in the renewable energy sector has been reaffirmed by his aides. Abdullahi Yakassai, Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement, emphasized the President’s focus during the Presidential Renewed Hope Media Tour’s recent visit to Lokoja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the media team, led by Mr. Sunday Dare, visited the Confluence University of Science and Technology in Osara, Kogi, to inspect projects initiated by the Federal and State Governments. Yakassai highlighted that Tinubu’s dedication represents a national investment in renewable energy development, human capital empowerment, clean energy innovation, and Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan.
The university hosts the Barefoot Renewable Energy College (BREC) and the Green Hydrogen Research and Demonstration Pilot Plant of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN). “It aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through its focus on job creation, economic diversification, energy access, poverty reduction, and sustainable development,” Yakassai stated.
Mr. O’tega Ogra, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital Engagement, Strategy, and New Media, described the project as a youth empowerment initiative of the President. “The College is designed to provide practical renewable energy training to Nigerians regardless of their educational background, equipping them with hands-on skills in solar and other renewable energy technologies,” Ogra explained, noting that the initiative promotes self-reliance, entrepreneurship, employment generation, and rural development.
Ogra also noted that the Green Hydrogen Research and Demonstration Pilot Plant aims to diversify Nigeria’s energy mix, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and advance clean energy solutions. The facility seeks to test decentralized hydrogen systems as a reliable and environmentally friendly alternative to diesel generators, particularly in areas with unstable electricity supply.
The project is expected to bolster Nigeria’s ambition of becoming a leading hydrogen hub in Africa by fostering research, innovation, and local capacity development in hydrogen technologies. It aligns with Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan and the national goal of achieving Net Zero emissions by 2060. “Hydrogen is expected to play a critical role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions within the industrial, transportation, and power sectors,” Ogra added.
The Barefoot Renewable Energy College, launched in August 2024 by the ECN, aims to equip rural and urban Nigerians with practical skills in solar engineering and sustainable energy solutions. The Green Hydrogen Research and Demonstration Pilot Plant, a pioneering facility in Nigeria and West Africa, marks a significant advancement in the nation’s energy transition and aims to revolutionize the energy sector.
The Renewed Hope National Media Tour aims to provide Nigerians with firsthand information about projects under Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, highlighting the government’s impact on citizens’ lives nationwide. Dare, concluding the visit, reiterated that the projects are part of the President’s broader educational and youth empowerment programs.
Mr. Abdulsalami Ozigi, Kogi Commissioner for Works, mentioned that the projects and institutional expansions are outcomes of the administration’s financial strategies. He also noted ongoing road construction at the Lokoja-Auchi road, attributing it to the collaboration between Federal and State Governments. “We have been lucky in Kogi State that Mr. President has decided to listen to the core need of our people in terms of road construction. It is a major lifeline of any economy,” he remarked.