The Economic Community of West African States Commission (ECOWAS) has announced a donation of $380 million for public schools and health centres in 18 African countries.

The donation was announced by the Senior Adviser on the Regional Off-Grid Electricity Access Project at the ECOWAS Commission, El hadji Sylla, during a stakeholders meeting in Abuja.

According to Sylla, with the move, the ECOWAS aims to promote a new innovative chain to electrify public schools.

Sylla, who stated the goals of the initiative funded by the World Bank, the Clean Technology Fund, and the Dutch government, revealed that the project will kick off from Nigeria and Benin.

He noted that the project covers 15 countries in the ECOWAS region.

According to Sylla “The cost of the project is $380m, and we want to promote a new innovative chain to electrify public institutions. Our target is to electrify schools and health centres to improve service delivery.

“We are piloting the project in Nigeria and the Benin Republic. The project covers 15 countries in the ECOWAS region and four countries in the Sahel region,” Sylla said.

“We are targeting schools and health centres to improve service delivery,” Sylla said, adding that the project is expected to be completed in five years across all participating countries, with the pilot phase in Nigeria and Benin to be executed within 18 months.

In Nigeria, the initiative will begin with electrification projects in selected schools and health centres in the Federal Capital Territory, Niger, and Nasarawa states,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, who was represented at the meeting by Bem Ayangeaor, noted that electrification in Nigeria has seen significant growth.

He, however, attributed the growth to the grants and subsidies flowing into the sector.

“I do not doubt that the rural electrification space in Nigeria, thanks to grants and subsidies, has grown significantly and will soon reach a stage where public support leverages private sector financing at higher efficiencies than it is presently done.

“A stage where the private sector would be more excited in investing in the electrification space because of the benefits to be gained,” Adelabu said.

The Federal University of Education, Pankshin (FUEP) in Plateau State has secured a ₦10 billion take-off grant from the Federal Government.

Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, the representative of Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency, who sponsored the bill for the institution’s upgrade, announced the government’s approval of the funds at the official unveiling of the university.

Gagdi expressed excitement over the approval, which he noted was first signed by former President Buhari.

He recalled how critics attacked him on social media when a “big problem” within the Ministry of Education delayed the implementation of the approval.

Gagdi noted that he has been exonerated and urged President Tinubu to ensure the approved funds are released by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for the project.

According to him, this issue has become a significant challenge for new universities.

Gagdi said, “Buhari approved the bill, overriding the Ministry of Education to commence immediately, but it became a big problem, giving room for some people on social media to castigate Gagdi, claiming he lied. Today, I am exonerated.

“I went and appealed to President Tinubu that every new university always has a problem getting releases from TETFund, and Mr. President approved over ₦10 billion take-off grant for the Federal University of Education Pankshin.”

Investors King gathered that the Federal University of Education was recently upgraded from the Federal College of Education Pankshin.

With the ₦10 billion support, the government aims to assist the institution in achieving a smooth transition.

In addition to the ₦10 billion take-off grant, the institution received government approval to hire 161 staff members before its official launch.