The spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Kemi Asekun-Shittu, has defended the decision to install a solar mini-grid at the Presidential Villa, saying the move would free up more electricity for Nigerians.

Asekun-Shittu said President Bola Tinubu’s decision to switch to solar power at the Villa was intended to reduce the facility’s dependence on the national grid and leave more electricity available to the public.

She made this known during a Friday interview on Naija Info FM, Lagos, while explaining the rationale behind the planned solar project amid concerns over unreliable electricity supply and the cost of power in the country.

“And I honestly do know that Mr. President, in his wisdom, knows that if there was an easier way, he would have done it,” she said.

Referring to criticism of the President’s decision to adopt solar power after promising to improve electricity supply, Asekun-Shittu said the national grid was under pressure because of Nigeria’s growing population.

“You see, Mr. President said, I will give you power and I will increase national grid. And now the national grid supplies, the national grid that used to supply a country of about 70 million people now has to supply a country going to about 250 million people,” she said.

She argued that moving the Presidential Villa to solar power would help reduce pressure on the national grid.

“And Mr. President said, okay, you know what? We are paying so much for power here. Let me come out of here. Let’s do solar here,” Asekun-Shittu said.

She added, “Since we have free sun in Nigeria, I think that he should be for that because that leaves more power because that leaves more power for the people.”

The comments come after The PUNCH reported that the State House allocated ₦10bn in the 2025 approved budget for the installation of a solar mini-grid at the Presidential Villa.

The allocation followed an increase in the overall budget of the State House Headquarters from ₦47.11bn in the initially proposed 2025 budget to ₦57.11bn in the approved version.

The increase was reflected in capital expenditure, which rose from ₦33.55bn to ₦43.55bn.

A breakdown of the capital projects showed that the additional ₦10bn was allocated to a project titled “Solarisation of the Villa with Solar Mini Grid.”

The planned installation comes amid concerns about unreliable public electricity supply and the high cost of electricity for households and government institutions.

Asekun-Shittu maintained that the decision to adopt solar power at the Presidential Villa should be viewed as a step towards easing the pressure on the national grid and making more electricity available to Nigerians.