By Obas Esiedesa, Abuja

The Federal Government has approved N100 billion under the National Public Sector Solarization Initiative to provide reliable electricity to public institutions across the country, with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) expected to benefit from the programme.

Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Engr. Abba Aliyu, disclosed this on Thursday during a visit by the Administrator of the National Judicial Institute (NJI), Justice Babatunde Adejumo, to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.

Aliyu said the initiative, approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, aims to address electricity challenges faced by government institutions, particularly those struggling with inadequate power supply or rising energy costs.

According to him, the programme is part of broader efforts by the Federal Government to expand electricity access through renewable energy solutions.

“Beyond that, Mr. President approved N100 billion for the National Public Sector Solarization Initiative, and this is where the National Judicial Institute can benefit,” Aliyu said.

He explained that the intervention targets public institutions that are either underserved or facing difficulty paying for conventional electricity supply.

Aliyu noted that implementation of the initiative has already commenced in several key government establishments, including the Department of State Services, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, and the National Hospital Abuja, as well as multiple educational institutions nationwide.

He added that the REA would conduct an energy audit at the NJI to determine the optimal capacity of the solar mini-grid system required for the institute.

“Once the energy audit is completed, we will determine the size of the mini-grid and the distribution network that will be deployed,” he said.

Aliyu further assured the NJI management that the institute would be included in the programme as the agency expands renewable energy infrastructure across public sector facilities.

Earlier in his remarks, Justice Adejumo stressed the importance of stable electricity for the effective functioning of judicial institutions, noting that modern judicial training and research depend heavily on reliable power supply.

He said the visit was aimed at strengthening collaboration between the NJI and the REA and expressed hope that the relationship between both institutions would lead to improved infrastructure at the institute.

Justice Adejumo also proposed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two organizations to formalize cooperation in addressing the institute’s energy needs.

He noted that the judiciary requires adequate infrastructure, including stable electricity, to enable judges and judicial officers to stay abreast of modern legal trends and technological developments.