By Fortune Eromosele, Abuja

About 12 tertiary institutions of the nation have been earmarked for a sum of $15 million solar powered energy.

This initiative is backed by the Blue Mountain Energy, a Korea firm basically involved in providing solar energy.

The CEO of Blue Mountain Energy (BME) Korea, Mr. Jung Cookjin and the Executive Director of SDG Youth International, Mr. Kim Ju Yong, both arrived Nigeria on Thursday, 12th October, 2023 on a 5-day working visit.

The aim of the visit was to carry out on-the-spot-assessment of some of the selected 12 Higher Institutions to benefit from the BME-Saudi Exim Bank Solar Energy Project – an Oversea Development Assistance (ODA) of the Saudi-Exim Bank.

The 5-year project will see to the provision of Solar Energy across various sectors of the Nigerian economy worth 15 Million USD per year, starting with provision of 100KVA solar energy to 12 higher institutions across the six geo-political regions in Nigeria worth $15 million.

Addressing newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja, the Country Representative for Nigeria and African Region, Uzoh Ifeanyi, disclosed that the pilot phase of the project will commence in February, 2024 with 2 institutions namely: Osun State University, Osogbo, and Federal University of Agriculture, Kebbi State while installation in the remaining 10 Institutions will be spread from February to October, 2024.

He added that: “The 2nd phase of the project will be in public primary and secondary schools in local government areas across the country, starting from Mokwa LGA of Niger State.

“Amongst other achievements, this 5-day working visit by the team will attract the siting of a solar power plant in Nigeria, which will provide job opportunities to our teaming youths. It will also lead to the creation of a BME solar engineering course for Nigerian Universities to teach solar technology.

“It would also provide automatic employment for graduates of BME Solar Engineering by BME Korea, BME Saudi Arabia and other Solar Technology companies overseas”.