Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has criticised plans to power the Aso Rock Presidential Villa with solar energy, warning that the move suggests neglect of Nigeria’s national electricity grid.
The remarks were contained in a statement released on his X account in reaction to reports that the Presidential Villa may disconnect from the national grid to rely fully on solar power.
The criticism comes amid persistent power supply challenges nationwide and renewed debate over government’s commitment to fixing the electricity system.
In the statement, Obi recalled a campaign promise attributed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who pledged that Nigerians should not re-elect him if he failed to provide steady electricity within four years.
Obi argued that the national grid has continued to perform poorly for more than two years into the administration.
Reports about plans to transition the Presidential Villa to solar energy gained attention following provisions in the 2025 budget allocating about N10 billion for solar power infrastructure, alongside further allocations in the 2026 budget for upgrades and maintenance.
The development comes more than two years into the current administration, during which Nigeria has continued to face grid instability, frequent system collapses and limited generation capacity.
Electricity supply remains a major constraint for households and businesses, many of which rely on costly diesel and petrol generators to supplement unreliable grid power.
Obi said that while renewable energy adoption is commendable and necessary for the future, the development reflects a deeper governance concern.
Nigeria’s power sector has faced repeated instability in recent years, with multiple grid collapses highlighting the fragility of the national electricity system. In 2024 alone, the grid collapsed nine times, making it one of the most unstable years for power supply.