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The Founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola, on Thursday, faulted the Federal Government for excluding private universities from privileges available to their federal and state counterparts, including student loan and research funding.
Babalola also queried the National Universities Commission for the proliferation of “illegal and unapproved private universities” which he said was affecting the attainment of quality and functional education in Nigeria.
The ABUAD founder spoke during the opening of the International Hydrogen Summit 2024, with the theme, “Catalysing green hydrogen development in Nigeria – The capacity and partnership imperatives.”
Babalola expressed concern that private universities were prevented from some privileges open to federal and state institutions.
He said, “Tertiary Education Trust Fund was established by the Federal Government. Its source of funds is money collected from private organisations. We all know that private universities are precluded from accessing funds from TETFund. Why?
“Recently, the Federal Government established the Students Loan Scheme. Again, students from private universities are precluded. Are they not Nigerians?
“The Federal Government gives money to public universities for research. I am not aware of any university (private or public) which has achieved more in research than ABUAD. Yet, ABUAD has not benefited from the government in this regard.
“I am a believer in quality and functional education. I decided to establish this university about 16 years ago because I wanted it to be a leader in reformation, quality and functional education. I thank God that we have succeeded in many areas of our research,” he said.
Speaking further, Babalola said, “The International Hydrogen Summit is crucial to the development of Green Hydrogen. The inhabitants of planet Earth still have a lot to do to make use of green hydrogen for the use of man to develop the economy, education and the health of the inhabitants. Change is perhaps the most reliable phenomenon in our life on planet Earth.”
The elder statesman also lamented that resolutions at previous summits in the country always ended where they were taken and yielded no result.
“I, therefore, advise on this occasion that you make a difference. Please pursue your resolutions to the point where they are implemented. Please make sure you implement the resolutions taken at this summit,” he said.
The Minister of State for Environment, Dr Iziak Salako, lauded ABUAD’s robust clean energy development plan and penetration.
He described it as symbolic towards a cleaner and more sustainable energy future.
Salako said Nigeria had vast renewable energy possibilities, particularly in solar power, with an average of 11 hours of sunlight daily.
He said, “According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, the concentrated solar power potential for Nigeria is approximately 88.7GW, 3.2GW for wind, 24GW for large hydro and 3.5GW for small hydro.
“This gives us the capacity to produce green hydrogen on a large scale, both for domestic use and export.
“Furthermore, we are not embarking on this journey alone; Nigeria is a member of the Green Hydrogen Alliance, a coalition of countries committed to developing green hydrogen technologies and accelerating their adoption globally.
“This membership provides Nigeria with access to cutting-edge research, technological advancements and investment opportunities, enabling us to collaborate on global best practices and position ourselves as a leader in the hydrogen economy.
“As a member of this alliance, Nigeria is focused on fostering partnerships that drive innovation in green hydrogen production, infrastructure development and the creation of hydrogen valleys across the nation.”
The minister said in collaboration with international partners like the German government, the German-Nigerian Hydrogen Office has conducted several pivotal studies.
He said: “These studies assess the potential for green hydrogen production in Nigeria and explore its application in key sectors such as transportation, industry, and power generation.
“They also highlight the importance of establishing hydrogen valleys; regions where hydrogen technologies are clustered to create a thriving green hydrogen economy, paving the way for a sustainable energy future: Nigeria’s Roadmap to a Hydrogen Economy.”
The Wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, said, “The world is moving rapidly towards renewable energy and green hydrogen is emerging as a game changer.
“For Nigeria, this is more than just meeting our own energy needs; it’s an opportunity to position ourselves as a leader in the hydrogen economy.
“Green hydrogen can help decarbonise industries that have been hard to clean up… industries like heavy manufacturing, transportation, aviation. In other words, it’s a key piece in the puzzle of global sustainability.”
Oyebanji, who said that Nigeria has a unique advantage in green hydrogen, said, “Studies, like the H2Atlas project, show that our country has the potential to produce green hydrogen at competitive prices. With our abundant sunlight, wind, and water, we’re well-positioned to produce green hydrogen on a large scale.
“This could secure our energy future, drive economic growth and create jobs for our people. It’s a rare opportunity to reshape not only our energy sector but also our economy,” the governor’s wife said.
