The Netherlands has launched a solar marketplace to connect businesses with opportunities and facilitate partnerships between public and private stakeholders to provide renewable solar energy in Nigeria.
The solar marketplace launch in Lagos had in attendance leaders and investors in the energy sector from the public and private sectors.
Consul general, the Kingdom of Netherlands in Lagos, Michel Deelen, said the marketplace is aimed at removing bottlenecks and bureaucracies that do not advance a seamless interaction between stakeholders in the private sector and policymakers in the public sector.
“Together with key solar players, we will work to tackle market bottlenecks and promote favorable solar energy policies and regulatory frameworks that support the sector’s development,” Delen said.
Deelen said replacing fossil fuel with solar would not only mitigate dependency on the unreliable electricity grid but would reduce carbon emissions either from diesel-powered generators or from the grid.
He disclosed that the commitment to renewable solar energy in Nigeria is a policy initiative of the Netherlands government to help countries transition to renewable energy.
Deelen explained that the market targets rapid growth in the production and supply of solar energy to Nigeria because of the active participation of the public sector which is responsible for legislation, tariffs, and policies, and the private sector drives the vision with investments, financing, and equipment installation.
“A green investment Agenda offers new chances to have a structural economic transformation and create employment,” Deelen said.
He noted that there is still a long way to go in realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), in eradication poverty, however, availablility of renewable enrgy will play a critical role in towards it.
Nigeria’s minister of environment Balarabe Abbas Lawal said renewable solar energy is a source of hope for clean energy that represents a new era to end overreliance on fossil fuels.
Lawal, who was represented by Yakubu Mohammed Baba, registrar and CEO of the Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON), said the solar marketplace will serve as a forum to maximise the potential of Nigeria’s natural resources to provide energy.
He said clean solar energy will help Nigeria to mitigate the effects of climate change and reduce global emission.
Lagos State governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the launch marks a pivotal moment that aligns with the government’s vision to provide reliable power supply.
Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by Tunbosun Alake, commissioner for innovation, science and technology said renewable energy and provision of alternative sources of power is a major part of the government’s THEMES+ agenda.
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