Money na water
FG is reportedly spending ₦10 billion on Tinubu’s solar power grid
Good morning, Big Brains. If I start a petition to move payday to the 20th of each month, will you sign it? I’m out here trying to figure out how to make it till Friday, and I blame Tinubu.
- Margaret
Word count: ~ 1,000
Reading time ~ 5 mins
Let’s get into today’s edition:
FG is reportedly spending ₦10 billion on solar power grid
Your favourite ride-hailing apps are planning a protest
The Big Deal
FG is reportedly spending ₦10 billion on solar power grid
President Tinubu is reportedly about to say toodles to the national grid and leave the rest of us in the trenches. If you’ve been reading The Big Daily long enough, you’d know Nigeria is currently spending its most expensive and controversial budget yet (₦57.11 trillion). Certain expenses in this budget would make you question everything you learnt in your Economics class, and one of them is this ₦10 billion budgeted for installing a mini solar grid at the Presidential Villa.
The project is called’ Solarisation of the Villa with Solar Mini Grid.’ As its name suggests, the plan is to install a solar power system that will generate electricity for the Presidential Villa. A mini-grid is a smaller, localised electricity network that isn't connected to the main national grid or can operate independently.
The State House also budgeted ₦5.49bn for general maintenance works at the Presidential Villa.
Why is this a big deal?
A year ago, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) increased electricity tariffs for Band A customers by 240% and introduced the entire country to a questionable categorisation system that now determines how much electricity supply every Nigerian gets.
While the tariff hike came with the bold promise of 20 hours of electricity for Band A customers, many Nigerians beg to differ. The average Nigerian still lacks access to regular electricity supply and can barely afford solar panels. Outside of the band categorisations, we have another common enemy — national grid collapses.
In 2024 alone, the national grid collapsed 12 times,. In 2025, these grid falls have been rebranded into “disturbances” despite the fact that Nigeria has taken loans amounting to over $1.4 billion to address the principalities working against its power sector.
The State House clearly agrees that the country’s power sector sucks, so they are splashing ₦10 billion to make sure President Tinubu never spends a day without electricity. Not only is this an awfully huge amount of money to splurge on a solar grid, but it is also contrary to the government’s response to the complaints of citizens when it comes to the electricity supply. When we complain, we get tariff hikes and big promises, but when the president complains, he gets a custom-made grid. MMS!
Your favourite ride-hailing apps are planning a protest
If you live in Lagos and you’ve never needed to enter a danfo, May 1 might be the day you try.
Bolt, Uber, and other app-based drivers are planning to log off and stay home on International Workers’ Day. Instead of passengers, the only thing they will be picking up is protest placards.
The Lagos chapter of the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) says this 24-hour strike is their way of demanding better treatment from the ride-hailing companies.
Some of their specific grievances are sudden deactivations without warning, and working in unsafe conditions. They’re also unhappy about the high commissions the apps collect from each ride, the stress of dealing with riders whose identities aren't properly verified, and tech systems, like facial recognition, that they say do more harm than good.
The union’s spokesperson, Steven Iwindoye, said in a statement that the strike is a response to long-standing issues the companies have refused to address. Basically, they want fair pay, better safety, and to be treated like actual human beings, not disposable buttons on an app.
If this protest goes ahead as planned, Lagosians who rely on these ride-hailing services might have to figure out other transportation options.
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This Week’s Big Question
“You get a get-out-of-jail card, which Nigerian politician are you choosing to replace you?”
Tobi’s response - “Definitely Yahaya Bello. Bro thinks we’ve forgotten the money he stole.”
You can also share your response here, and if it’s as interesting as Tobi’s, we’ll feature it in the next edition.
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Money miss road
Not to trigger any PTSD, but the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has warned Africa of an Asian multibillion-dollar cyber scam that’s quickly spreading into the continent.