Monrovia, Nov 24, 2025 (FrontPageAfrica/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) --
The University of Liberia (UL) has launched a groundbreaking US$680,000 solar-powered infrastructure project that promises to transform student life, address long-standing utility challenges, and position the institution as a model for sustainable development in Liberia's higher education sector.
Known as the Solar Oasis Student Utility Park, the state-of-the-art initiative will convert 1.5 acres of UL's Fendall campus into a modern, fully solarized hub providing round-the-clock electricity, water, sanitation, internet, and essential student services.
The project includes a 20-stall hygienic bathroom complex with disability-accessible facilities, a mini student center, an outdoor filtered-water fountain, charging docks, Wi-Fi, study spaces and printing services.
UL President Dr. Layli Maparyan described the project as a defining step in revitalizing the University's critical infrastructure and restoring its ability to deliver world-class education.
"The Solar Oasis Student Utility Park is going to be a game-changer for UL," she said.
"We cannot fulfil our mission without stable electricity, water, sanitation and internet. Solarization is a commitment to making that future possible while capitalizing on one of Liberia's most abundant natural resources: sunshine."
Dr. Maparyan emphasized that the Solar Oasis is a pilot project designed to demonstrate the feasibility of solarizing all four UL campuses, a long-term goal she says is essential to modernizing Liberia's flagship university.
Cutting-Edge Renewable Technology Designed by a Liberian Firm
The Solar Oasis has been designed and is being constructed by Xity Engineering Solutions, a Liberian-owned engineering firm based in Johnsonville.
The company is headed by Dr. Sannah Ziama, a former UL student and physicist who returned to Liberia following a distinguished career in academia and the U.S. tech sector, including service as a senior AI scientist at Amazon.
Dr Ziama said the need for durable sanitation and stable utilities at UL spans generations.
"The restroom challenge has existed here for a very long time," he noted.
"It was a problem when I was a student, and likely before that. This project is designed to provide a lasting solution."
According to Dr Ziama, the facility's solar microgrid is industrial grade, featuring high-output panels capable of generating surplus electricity that could be fed into the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) grid.
Its long-lasting battery system can power the site for up to two days during adverse weather.
"This is a project where solar is the first-class citizen," he said.
"We built everything around solar technology. It should serve as a reference model for universities, schools, hospitals and public institutions across Liberia."
Transforming the Student Experience
The Solar Oasis site, cleared between the basketball court and the engineering building, will include two bathroom structures, a utility building, a student center and a water fountain square. Construction is underway and expected to be completed within eight months.
Student leader Vashe T. Weah, Miss Inter-University and advocate for women's hygiene through her SheShelter Initiative, welcomed the project as a major investment in student welfare.
"Having 20 modern bathrooms, including disability-accessible ones, in a peaceful, park-like setting speaks volumes," Weah said.
"The mini student center with charging stations, Wi-Fi and drinking water will directly improve daily student life."
She added that the project aligns with her advocacy for better restroom facilities and feminine hygiene support across the University.
Funding and Future Prospects
Dr. Maparyan said the Solar Oasis is being funded through UL's existing budget allocations for bathroom renovations, anticipated climate-focused funding in the FY 2026 budget, and a small portion of UL's annual endowment distribution.
Though limited to one section of the Fendall campus, the President stressed that the project is expected to serve as a proof of concept to attract large-scale financing for a comprehensive solarization of all UL campuses.
"Grantors and investors want to see a working model before committing to major projects," she said.
"The Solar Oasis will demonstrate what solar can do for a university like ours, and position UL to access global green-energy funding and development financing."
With Liberia facing persistent grid instability and high energy costs, the Solar Oasis Student Utility Park stands as a pioneering example of how renewable energy can reshape public institutions and improve service delivery.
If successful, UL's move toward solarization could mark the beginning of a new era in sustainable, student-centered infrastructure across Liberia's education system.
COMTEX_470509214/2029/2025-11-24T08:09:32
by Willie N. Tokpah
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