90 million Nigerians lack electricity supply – Fashola
half of which live in Africa, with Nigeria accounting for 90 million
of such people, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde
Raji Fashola said on Monday.
He said this while delivering a key note address at the annual
international conference of the Centre for Petroleum, Energy Economics
and Law (CPEEL), University of Ibadan (UI).
At the conference were participants from 20 African countries.
Speaking on the theme, "Developing Renewable Energy in Africa: The
Interplay of Technology, Economics and Law", Fashola said "Africans
have trillions standard cubic feet (SCFs) of natural gas reserves,
billions of barrels of crude oil reserves and billions of tonnes of
coal; but Africa has even greater abundance of renewal energy
resources. unfortunately, of the nearly 1.5 billion people estimated
to lack electricity supply the world over, half live-in Africa.
Nigeria alone is estimated to have over 90 million people living
without electricity supply according to the world bank".
He noted that to make electricity available to all Nigerians, efforts
must be concentrated to develop renewable energy along with
conventional power plants to maintain a balanced energy in in the
short, medium and long-term.
Fashola said renewable energies were the fastest power plants that can
be deployed as the technologies required are compatible with what he
described as the nations decentralized, stand-alone ideal for local,
rural communities.
The former Lagos State Governor who was represented by the Acting
Director, Renewable and Rural Power Access Development, Federal
Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Faruk Yabo, was, however,
quick to add that efforts must be intensified at improving the
transmission grid.
He said "The huge energy deficit and the negative environmental impact
of using fossil fuel for energy generation, as well as the falling
costs of renewable energy technologies like solar power, are driving
the current energy transition towards renewable energy as being
witnessed across the world, including here in Africa".
On the efforts by the President Muhammadu Buharu administration to
improve electricity in Nigeria, Fashola said "Federal government is
implementing off-grid renewable energy solutions such as rural
mini-grids, standalone home solutions, IPP for Federal Universities,
Teaching Hospitals and large-scale solar PV projects such as the
Jigawa solar city.
"In 2018 we are making efforts to complete and commission the
following renewable energy projects: 10 MW Katsina wind farm, 30MW
Gurara Hydro Power, 29MW Dadin Kowa Hydropower and 40MW Kashimbila
HydroPower, 700MW Zungeru Hydro Power and the 14 Solar IPP are
expected to come on stream soon".
Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State who spoke through his Chief of
Staff, Dr. Gbade Ojo noted that "the good Lord has blessed us with
abundant diverse natural resources that are continuously replenished
continuously. But we need the policy to encourage investors in
developing the technology for Africa and to also embolden financials
to allocate huge funds to renewable energy development in Africa.
"The outlook of us as policymakers, researchers and investors is a
strategic partnership that will result to increase in the contribution
of renewable energy generation in Nigeria and Africa as a whole, in a
way that will make it attractive, accessible and affordable to the
general public".
He charged the participants to "enlighten policymakers on the
significant opportunities in renewable energy, which includes but not
limited to energy efficiency, energy security, reduction in
environmental pollution especially air pollution and improve public
healthcare and one must not forget economic benefits to the users and
the government".
UI Vice Chancellor, Professor Idowu Olayinka in his remarks disclosed
that the conference and the theme were very relevant and important at
this critical period, given the current energy challenges.
Olainka added that the "significance is not just for the town but also
for the gown as the University spends very considerable amount of
money to ensure stable electricity supply that can support research,
training and other activities on campus that will impact the nation
and the world positively."
He appealed to the government to revisit the pledge of a support to
build a 10MW solar plant in collaboration with Germany in the UI, two
years ago, noting that the project has not made any significant
progress since it was launched.
He said "I will like to remind the Hon. Minister that about two years
ago, the Federal Government made a pledge of support to build a 10MW
Solar Plant in collaboration with the German for the University. While
other universities have been included in the scheme, the University of
Ibadan is yet to record any progress on the plant.
"I want to use this opportunity to appeal to the Minister and the
Rural Electrification Agency to revisit the project given that the
successful completion will further aid research and training
activities in the University as we all work very hard to make UI the
best among the rest".
CPEEL Director, Professor Adeola Adenikiju in his welcome address said
the objectives of organizing the conference, which was the third in
the series was, "to bring together senior policymakers, industry
experts and academics to discuss current energy issues that are
relevant to the 20 countries in the Gulf of Guinea region; to address
energy challenges in a multidisciplinary framework as well as to
encourage the sharing of experiences among the countries in the
sub-region and from other parts of the world in order to learn best
practices from each other."
No comments
Post a Comment