The Katsina State Executive Council has approved the procurement and installation of solar power and battery storage systems at 11 public facilities in the state. This decision was made during the council's meeting on Wednesday, chaired by Governor Dikko Radda. The governor's spokesperson, Ibrahim Mohammed, released a statement confirming the approval. The facilities to be equipped with solar power systems include Umaru Musa Yar'Adua University, Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic, and General Amadi Rimi Hospital.
According to Hafiz Ahmed, the governor's adviser on power and energy, the solar programme is expected to have a combined capacity of 20 megawatts. An assessment revealed that the 11 facilities account for 93.4 per cent of the state government's electricity expenditure. The installation of solar power systems is projected to save the state government about N7 billion from reduced spending on grid electricity and diesel generators. The adviser estimated that the investment could be recovered through savings on electricity and diesel costs in approximately three and a half years.
The solar programme covering 11 public facilities was initially announced in August 2025 as part of a N19.9 billion renewable energy approval. The programme provided for 20.1MW of solar capacity with battery storage at the facilities, alongside an additional 10MW of solar power at Lambar Rimi. However, it is unclear if the newly approved equipment is included in the earlier contract. The statement did not disclose the cost of the latest equipment approval, the contractor, or the completion deadline.
The Katsina state government has made significant progress in its renewable energy goals, achieving more than 30MW of generation capacity. The state is targeting 70MW by 2031 under an Integrated Resource Plan developed with Power Africa. This plan aims to increase the state's renewable energy capacity and reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. The governor's adviser on power and energy expressed optimism that the state would meet its renewable energy targets.
In addition to the solar power approval, the Katsina State Executive Council made several other decisions during its meeting. The Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Surajo Abukur, announced the approval of a N10,000 monthly allowance for 2,500 young people. This scheme is expected to cost N25 million monthly. The council also approved an inter-ward football tournament to encourage young people's participation in organised sports.
The council also approved contracts for external works at the special model secondary schools in Jikamshi and Dumurkul to prepare them for opening. The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Yusuf Jibia, said the council adopted recommendations on teachers' English language proficiency, school leadership, recruitment, and deployment. These measures aim to improve the quality of education in the state.
The Katsina State Executive Council also approved several health and infrastructure projects. 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 also approved the purchase of an asphalt paver for the Katsina State Roads Maintenance Agency and motorcycles for the state's 34 local government areas.
Key points
- The Katsina state government has approved a solar power programme with a combined capacity of 20 megawatts for 11 public facilities.
- The state government aims to achieve 70MW of renewable energy capacity by 2031 under an Integrated Resource Plan developed with Power Africa.
- The solar power programme is expected to save the state government about N7 billion from reduced spending on grid electricity and diesel generators.
