Nigeria’s Race for Sustainable Energy Sufficiency: Installs Africa’s Largest Hybrid Solar Plant
E
nergy suff iciency, had over the years, remained a mirage in Nigeria, as reports had stated that over 40 per cent of Nigerians did not have access to electricity; while based on total installed capacity, only 0.06 megawatts of electricity was available for 1,000 Nigerians. This article explores the country’s quest for energy sufficiency, the challenges and measures put in place by the Federal Government, multilateral institutions and private sector players to surmount the country’s energy challenges. Energy is critical to human development and realizing its importance, it was 28
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made a cornerstone of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), signed in 2015 by 193 member states of the United Nations. Nearly every one of the 17 goals under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) is anchored directly or indirectly on the availability of energy – be it reduction in poverty, improvement in education outcomes, health, safe water, quality of air, and other important SDG outcomes. Under the SDG, an important area of focus is the SDG 7.1, which is ensuring access to affordable, reliable and modern energy for all by 2030, by providing universal access to electricity and clean cooking. International Energy Agency (IEA), in its World Energy Outlook for 2017, stated that achieving SDG 7.1 would require bringing electricity to the remaining 1.1 billion who are still without electricity and reaching
SEPTEMBER 2019, Vol 2 No 6
the 2.8 billion currently without access to clean cooking facilities. However, with the political will, right policy mix, and sustained investment, the IEA noted that achieving modern energy for all by 2030 is possible and brings with it big benefits for minimal expenditure. It had been stated that energy is a vital factor of production in any economy and an affordable access to sustainable energy is one of the key drivers of a global economic system that is sustainable. In addition, it had been agreed that energy efficiency and access are imperative to mitigate climate change, improve energy and grow economies while delivering environmental and social benefits.
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