Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, stepped on Nigerian toes when he tried to defend a N10 billion solar power system installation at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday. His defence came amid the government’s failure to provide adequate electricity supply to Nigerians.
In February, the Presidency disclosed that the 2025 budget had increased from N47 trillion to N54 trillion. FIJ recently reported that the capital expenditure for the Presidency jumped from nearly N55 billion to N142 billion in the signed budget.
The State House alone received an additional N10 billion for the full solarisation of the Presidential Villa, a move that has generated outrage from the public.
To make a case for the decision to adopt solar power at the State House, Onanuga wrote on X on Tuesday night: “The White House in Washington D.C. uses solar power.”
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Onanuga’s post included a video about solar panel installation at the White House.
Many Nigerian social media users who commented on Onanuga’s post believe a similar move by the federal government will further distance the country’s leadership from the pain of the masses, especially on the inadequate power supply problem.
They also stated that the comparison was unfair given the fact that the United State’s reason for adopting the solar technology had nothing to do with a power crisis. In the video clip Onanuga posted, the US authorities revealed that it was part of the clean energy revolution in the country’s climate action plan.
Uche Jegbefume, a citizen, responded, “Americans have access to 24/7 electricity. No American is in darkness. If White House decides to use solar power, Americans wouldn’t complain. In Nigeria, presidential villa wants to install a mini-grid solar system so that it can insolate itself from the darkness in Nigeria.”
Social entrepreneur Onyekachi Ololo posted on X: “First of All, Americans generally enjoy a highly reliable power supply, with the national electricity grid giving the citizens there a consistent power supply to most households and businesses. Power interruptions, because of weather events like storms or equipment failures which by the way are typically localised, are even quickly resolved.
“So, for the White House, if it were to go solar powered, it primarily served as a symbolic and leadership move to renewable energy rather than affecting the broader power supply which I say again is interrupted. Going solar would not impact Americans’ access to power directly, but it could inspire greater adoption of clean energy technologies and influence national energy policy, potentially leading to a more sustainable and resilient grid. What has the FGN done to give Nigerians power?”
Osasu Obayiuwana, a lawyer and analyst, wrote: “Mr Onanuga, you are not being sincere with and fair to the Nigerians your government is meant to be serving. You think it is right that that Aso Rock should go off grid, and give itself 24-hour power, at taxpayers cost, while Nigerians cannot afford the cost of grid power, when it is available?”
Kolawole Tony (@Ajiboye11Tony) said, “Solar power or panel is installed in the White House, not for lack of electricity but because they’re they’re trying reduce global warming. In Nigeria, they want to install solar panels in Aso Rock because of grid collapse and lack of electricity. The two are not the same.”
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In response to Onanuga’s defence, @OluwasolafunmiA said, “This is quite contextual. There is a difference between advocating for clean energy and finding alternatives to electrical epilepsy caused by governmental failure.”
Another comment by music supervisor MrSoundHive James reads: “America didn’t abandon its citizens to darkness while the President basked in uninterrupted solar glory. Their grid works. Their people have electricity. You can’t use the White House as a convenient comparison when your government has failed, year after year, to provide power.”
Nigeria has endured a power crisis for years and efforts to address the issue have not yielded positive fruits. The national grid collapsed 12 times in 2024 alone. It left many households and business in darkness, and many turned to generators and solar power.
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By 2022, Nigeria had allocated the sum of N1.6 trillion to the ministry of power within five years, yet epileptic power supply remains a norm.
Although many households and businesses are going off-grid by migrating to solar systems as an alternative source of power, reports, such as this and this, show that only a few can afford it.
In fact, the government has considered a ban on the importation of solar panels. FG recently disclosed its willingness to support local manufacturing of solar panels while restricting import.
— FIJ
