Aso Villa to Go Fully Solar, Exit National Grid by 2026

Key Takeaways

• The Aso Presidential Villa is set to disconnect from the national grid by March 2026 as its solar mini-grid project nears completion, with officials saying the move will significantly cut electricity costs.
• The Aso Presidential Villa in Abuja is set to disconnect from the national electricity grid by March 2026 as its solar power project enters the final stage.State House Permanent Secretary, Temitope Fashedemi, disclosed this while presenting the 2026 budget proposal to the Senate Committee on Special Duties.He said installation of the Villa’s solar mini-grid was completed in late 2025 and has been undergoing technical tests since December, with full transition expected in the first quarter of 2026.Fashedemi noted that the move would significantly reduce government electricity costs, citing the State House Medical Centre, which has operated largely on solar power since May 2025 with minimal reliance on the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company.Recall that the Federal Government allocated 10 billion naira for the project in the 2025 budget and proposed an additional 7 billion naira in the 2026 Appropriation Bill to complete it.While the initiative sparked public debate, government officials maintained that it is cost-effective, pointing to an estimated annual electricity bill of 47 billion naira previously incurred by the Villa.Meanwhile, the Senate Committee queried provisions for vehicle procurement in the State House budget and asked the Budget Office to review the allocation.
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