Amidst the pursuit of sustainable energy, the Renewable Energy Roadmap Nigeria report revealed that Nigeria can meet approximately 60% of its energy demand in 2050 through renewable energy. The release of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) research coincides with the beginning of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and will result in a reduction in oil and natural gas consumption of 40 and 65 percent, respectively. It also stressed the need of Nigeria investing in renewable energy to provide for the expanding energy demands of the country’s diverse economic sectors and ensure that all citizens have access to reliable, high-quality electricity.
The report, produced in partnership with the Nigerian Energy Commission, compares what would happen under existing and planned policies (the Planned Energy Scenario) to an enhanced renewable adoption scenario, dubbed the Transforming Energy Scenario (TES). Renewable energy investments will provide a better return on investments than more traditional methods. In comparison to the initial energy plan of $1.24 trillion, the TES has a smaller investment of $1.22 trillion.
Nigeria has the potential to build renewable energy infrastructure.
In response to the research, Francesco La Camera, director-general of IRENA, said that Nigeria has the potential to make sustainable energy accessible for the public at a cost-effective price by making use of its huge and untapped renewables. According to La Camera, Nigeria has a unique chance to build a renewable energy infrastructure that may help the country recover economically, grow sustainably, and combat climate change and energy insecurity. He argued that international cooperation and robust national planning in Nigeria were necessary to speed up the energy transition.
To reach the TES objectives, the paper outlines 18 critical steps that need to be taken in the energy, construction, transportation, manufacturing, and farming sectors. It suggests expanding the available regulatory choices and strengthening the current finance structures in the electricity industry. However, compared to nations like Egypt, Kenya, and South Africa, Nigeria is moving at a modest pace in terms of adopting renewable energy technology. It also notes that long-term investments in fossil fuel infrastructure, such as natural gas pipelines, should be avoided in favor of shorter-term, more flexible ones if the energy transition is to be advanced.
Demand for energy in Nigeria is predicted to rise.
Furtherly, the paper stresses the need for Nigeria’s heavy investment in electricity. With the TES in place, the proportion of final energy demand provided by renewable sources would almost double between 2015 and 2050. Clean cooking and access to modern kinds of energy are two areas where Nigeria can and should make greater strides. According to the research, traditional bioenergy supplied approximately half of Nigeria’s total 2015 energy consumption. If all Nigerians have access to reliable electricity by 2030, the country’s ultimate energy demand profile may look different.
There was also a recommendation to increase the use of public transportation and accelerate the transition to biofuels and electric cars (EVs) in Nigeria. With the population growth and growing living standards, demand for energy in Nigeria is predicted to rise. Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation in Nigeria Adeleke Olorunimbe Mamora also commented on the report, praising the disclosure and noting that the report’s pacing is appropriate in light of the government’s pledge at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021 to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20% unconditionally and 47% conditionally by 2030 and to reach net-zero emissions by 2060.
Unlocking comprehensive energy transition planning requires policies.
Mamora claims that this data is very helpful in analyzing the national energy strategy and strategic energy plans for all sectors, and that it is a step in the right direction for Nigeria’s attempts to boost the percentage of renewable energy in its energy mix. He went on to say that unlocking comprehensive energy transition planning and guaranteeing its success would need coordination of policies due to the energy sector’s extremely dispersed institutional structure in Nigeria. If the appropriate government body takes the time to prepare the required research, then this may be put into action to serve the country’s requirements.
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