Nigeria fuels 14m generators with $16m annually — Expert
The Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Consistent Energy and President Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria, REAN, Dr. Segun Adaju, has said that Nigeria spends $16 million to fuel 14 million generators annually.
He disclosed this at the (NES#27) Nigerian Economic Summit Group, yesterday in Abuja, saying: “We need to look at where we are in terms of our competences and our comparative advantage for us to achieve the transition.
“With 200m cubic gas reserves, Nigeria must leverage on the potential for gas to play a big role in energy sector.
“We must display efficiency on the huge resources we have to power Nigeria.
“Gas for cooking in rural communities will be more efficient and cheaper than using solar power.
“Nigeria is the highest generator user in the world, with 10 to 14 million generators, the highest in the world.
“It spends about $16 million to fuel them every year. So, for me, displacing generators is a way to go.”
Electrification
On the issue of electrification, Adaju said studies show that half of Nigeria is not connected on national grid.
“That means it is infrastructure that we need to build by increasing the generation capacity at least to 30mw.
“I am happy that government of Nigeria is towing this line of investing in 8000-10,000 viable sites that have been identified.
“We must make sure that different resources we have to electrify Nigeria in every part of the country is put in use, as about 8000-10,000 sites ready to go in micro and mini grids.
Absence of regulation of gas sector, policy direction is a challenge —Solae
Speaking as well, Managing Director, Oolu Solae, Ms Sodeke Akporiaye said: “We don’t have to look at our transition challenge from demographics and competitive perspective but from the possible combination to electrify Nigeria to solve the problem.
“Absence of regulation in the gas sector and policy direction is a challenge.
“Focus must be on incentives to boost local manufacturing. Each geo-political region has got something to contribute.
“60% of electricity in Nigeria is consumed by residents while manufacturers are self-dependent.
“It is important we have a clear regulatory framework for this transition to work.
“The gap has to be closed focus and must also be paid to affordability. Again, implementation is also a challenge.
“We must focus on affordability and we cannot do that without incentives that will bring cost down like tariffs, taxes and utilising all available resources to bring electrification to Nigeria.
“The informal sector need to be captured in the energy mix for us to be able to produce more.
“To complement the biggest investors, the IOCs who have invested so much. Building the ecosystem is healthy enough to take the heavy lifting to next level.
“Collaboration is needed in the ecosystem for the lifting of Nigeria to happen.” Vanguard
