Katsina State Governor Dikko Umaru Radda on Thursday commissioned the connection of the Katsina State Institute of Technology and Management (KSITM) to the national electricity grid, ending more than a decade of reliance on diesel-powered generators at the institution.
The commissioning ceremony was held at the institute in Katsina and attended by members of the Governing Council, the Rector, the Special Adviser on Power and Energy, senior government officials, staff and students.
Radda said the project forms part of his administration’s “Building a Future” strategy, particularly its energy component aimed at improving power supply to public institutions and enhancing operational efficiency.
“For more than ten years, this institute had no connection to the national grid and had to rely entirely on diesel to run its operations,” the governor said at the event.
He added that his administration would continue efforts to strengthen energy infrastructure to enable institutions to function effectively and deliver quality education.
Earlier, the Special Adviser on Power and Energy, Dr. Hafiz Ahmed, said the project followed the governor’s approval of a proposal to address the institute’s long-standing electricity challenges.
According to him, initial bids for the project ranged from about ₦2 billion to ₦1.2 billion. He said the project was eventually completed at a total cost of ₦270 million after what he described as a review process focused on value for money.
“As I speak, the institute is now fully electrified—from the administrative block to the classrooms and staff quarters,” Ahmed said.
In his remarks, the Rector of KSITM, Dr. Musa Ahmed Zayyad, described the connection as a significant development for the institution, which he said had not experienced stable electricity since its establishment nearly 10 years ago.
He said the institute had relied entirely on diesel generators, leading to accumulated liabilities of more than ₦50 million, with diesel at times obtained on credit.
Zayyad said Governor Radda had earlier approved the solarisation of the institute before granting approval for its connection to the national grid.
He commended the governor’s emphasis on education and support for the institution.
The Katsina State Government did not indicate whether similar grid connection projects are planned for other tertiary institutions in the state.
