Knocks As Reno, Presidency Defend ₦10bn Aso Rock Solar Project

The Nigerian presidency is facing renewed backlash after top government allies attempted to justify the ₦10 billion Aso Rock solar power project by comparing it to solar installations at the White House in the United States.

Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide, took to X (formerly Twitter) to share photos of solar panels mounted at the White House, dating back to 1979 under President Jimmy Carter. In his post, he noted that successive U.S. presidents—Ronald Reagan, George Bush, and Barack Obama—also supported solar energy adoption at the White House.

“Here is a photo of the solar panels installed at the White House forty-six years ago in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter. Presidents Reagan, Bush and Obama also reinstalled solar panels at the White House,” Omokri wrote.

“Meanwhile, you are attacking President Bola Tinubu for planning to install solar panels at Aso Rock in 2025, which would introduce renewable and affordable Green Energy to the seat of power. #TableShaker.”

Echoing the same sentiment, President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, also wrote: “The White House in Washington D.C. uses solar power.”

The statements, however, did little to calm public outrage. Netizens stormed the comment sections, rejecting the comparisons and questioning the timing and justification for the ₦10 billion project when many Nigerians are grappling with erratic power supply and a worsening cost-of-living crisis.

One user fired back: “You want to copy the White House, but you can’t provide steady light for common citizens?”

Read some netizens’ reactions below;

@osasuo: Mr Onanuga, you are not being sincere with and fair to the Nigerians your government is meant to be serving. You think it is right that that Aso Rock should go off grid, and give itself 24-hour power, at taxpayers cost, while Nigerians cannot afford the cost of grid power, when it is available?

@Ajiboye11tony: Solar power or panel is installed in the White House, not for lack of electricity but because they’re they’re trying reduce global warming. Why in Nigeria they want to install Solar panels in Aso Rock because of grid collapse and lack of electricity. The two are not the same.

@stephenosemwe: There is a small detail you deliberately left out. The entire United States has had 24 hrs uninterrupted power supply for over 100years.

To compare the green energy push by Obama administration through the use of solar panels, to the current move by APC government to abandon the failing and collapsing yet expensive electric grid in Nigeria is beyond mischievous.

@johnpaulokoli: Sometimes, it is better to keep quiet and be thought to be a fool than to speak and remove all doubts. Every household in the US has electricity. Can’t say same for FCT, let alone other parts of Nigeria. But yea, go ahead and make the lame comparison. Mtchewwww

@iamhistory_: The white House in America uses solar but you have deliberately and mischievously left out the fact that the entire USA have 24/7 power supply

The Federal Executive Council had recently approved the ₦10 billion solar mini-grid for the Presidential Villa, stating that it would take Aso Rock off the national grid and promote energy sustainability. But critics say the project is an example of tone-deaf leadership at a time when the average Nigerian is struggling to afford food, fuel, and power.

Despite the wave of justification from the government’s camp, the opposition continues to mount online, with many citizens calling for transparency, accountability, and urgent reforms in the nation’s energy sector.
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