Thousands of Nigerians have taken to their respective social media accounts to voice their reaction as the Nigerian Presidency allocated ₦10 billion in the 2025 budget to install a solar mini-grid at the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, effectively planning to disconnect from the national power grid.
The decision was detailed in the recently approved ₦54.99 trillion 2025 Appropriation Bill.
The development became public knowledge after a breakdown of the budgetary allocation to the Aso Rock State House Headquarters.
In the initial 2025 Appropriation bill submitted by President Bola Tinubu before the National Assembly, N47.11bn was earmarked for the State House Headquarters. However, in the budget version approved by the National Assembly, the allocations jumped to N57.11bn.
The additional N10bn was traced to a jump in capital expenditure, which moved from N33.55bn to N43.55bn.
A breakdown of the new capital items reveals that the increase was solely due to the planned solar project, titled “Solarisation of the Villa with Solar Mini Grid,” with a full allocation of N10bn.
The emergence of those revelations has been generating arrays of reactions from Nigerians.
A user on X(formerly Twitter) @cutenaija said: “I never thought I would see a Nigerian president giving up on power, cut away from the national grid, and install solar panels worth billions in his government house.
“You always think you have seen the worst example of bad governance, but they always up the ante!”
Another user, @Uromiboy, stated: “Tinubu removing himself from the national grid says it all. He only cares about himself and not the people. Increased the electricity tariff and went off the national grid because it’s too expensive for Aso villa.”
@Chief_Ajiji said: “The man who promised you 24/7 National grid electricity has ported to Solar power.”
While the Federal Government has yet to explain the development, it comes amid the challenges of soaring electricity costs and mounting debts owed to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).
This move also comes after electricity tariffs, particularly under the Band A tariff, which guarantees 20 hours of daily power, were increased.
The tariff was increased from ₦68/kWh to ₦209/kWh in 2024.
It would be recalled that the State House has also struggled with unpaid electricity bills. In February 2024, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company listed the Presidential Villa among top government debtors, with an outstanding bill of N923.87m.
However, following a reconciliation process, the debt was revised down to N342.35m. Tinubu subsequently ordered the immediate settlement of the amount to avoid disconnection, according to statements issued by the Presidency.
