Katsina approves solar equipment for public facilities, targets 70MW

The Katsina State Executive Council has approved the procurement and installation of solar power and battery storage systems at 11 public facilities.

The approval was among decisions taken at the council’s meeting on Wednesday.

The meeting was chaired by Governor Dikko Radda, according to a statement by his spokesperson, Ibrahim Mohammed.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, the governor’s adviser on power and energy, Hafiz Ahmed, said the equipment would support a solar programme with a combined capacity of 20 megawatts.

He said an assessment found that the facilities accounted for 93.4 per cent of the state government’s electricity expenditure.

Facilities mentioned in the statement include Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University, Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic, General Amadi Rimi Hospital, Turai Yar’Adua Maternity Hospital, the House of Assembly and the state High Court.

It also listed three waterworks and a booster station.

Mr Ahmed projected savings of about N7 billion from reduced spending on grid electricity and diesel generators. However, the statement did not specify the period covered by that estimate.

He said the investment could be recovered through savings on electricity and diesel costs in approximately three and a half years.

The statement did not disclose the cost of the latest equipment approval, the contractor or the completion deadline.

A solar programme covering 11 public facilities had previously been announced in August 2025 as part of a N19.9 billion renewable energy approval.

That announcement provided for 20.1MW of solar capacity with battery storage at the facilities, alongside an additional 10MW of solar power at Lambar Rimi.

The latest statement did not explain whether the newly approved equipment was included in the earlier contract.

Mr Ahmed also said the state had achieved more than 30MW of generation capacity and was targeting 70MW by 2031 under an Integrated Resource Plan developed with Power Africa.

The Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Surajo Abukur, announced the approval of a N10,000 monthly allowance for 2,500 young people.

Payments to the stated number of beneficiaries would amount to N25 million monthly. The statement did not disclose the selection criteria, commencement date or duration of the scheme.

Mr Abukur said the council also approved an inter-ward football tournament to encourage young people’s participation in organised sports.

On education, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Yusuf Jibia, said contracts were approved for external works at the special model secondary schools in Jikamshi and Dumurkul to prepare them for opening.

The council also adopted recommendations on teachers’ English language proficiency, school leadership, recruitment and deployment.

The Commissioner for Health, Musa Adamu, said approvals covered renovation and additional buildings at the general hospitals in Jibia, Batsari and Ingawa.

Other health projects include upgrading the Primary Health Care Centre in Bindawa to a maternal and child hospital and renovating doctors’ quarters at General Hospital, Katsina.

The council approved the purchase of an asphalt paver for the Katsina State Roads Maintenance Agency and motorcycles for the state’s 34 local government areas. The statement did not specify the number of motorcycles.

It also approved a review of the additional contract sum for construction work at Katsina House in Abuja, citing an expanded scope of work. Neither the previous nor the revised amount was disclosed.