The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, said Nigeria is assuming continental leadership in the race to electrify Africa, with a bold target to help provide electricity for 300 million Africans by 2030.

He also praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval of a $1 billion financing initiative for the Rural Electrification Agency in December 2024.

Abbas spoke at the opening of the First Legislative Conference and Expo on Renewable Energy organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Renewable Energy, which was chaired by Afam Ogene, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and held in Lagos.

The speaker said Nigeria’s involvement in the Mission 300 Initiative, a collaborative effort with the World Bank and the African Development Bank, exemplified its commitment to advancing clean and inclusive energy access across Africa.

Abbas said the initiative was a strong demonstration of Nigeria’s leadership on the continental stage.

“On the continental stage, Nigeria has assumed a leadership role. Through our participation in the Mission 300 Initiative with the World Bank and the African Development Bank, we are working to provide electricity to three hundred million Africans by 2030.

“While progress has been made, the road ahead requires sustained effort. The success of this transition depends on coherent actions across all institutions. Legislators must establish sound legal foundations. The executive must implement it with integrity and urgency. The private sector must invest in innovation and scale. Civil society must foster awareness, inclusion and accountability. This conference, therefore, provides an opportunity to reaffirm our shared commitment,” he said.

Abbas said the momentum built so far should not be allowed to dissipate and urged that the resolutions should lead to concrete outcomes, including model legislation, greater investments, and the adoption of new technologies.

The speaker reaffirmed Nigeria’s internal strides toward a clean energy transition. He highlighted the legislative reforms championed by the 10th House of Representatives, including the recent establishment of a Standing Committee on Renewable Energy, which coordinates national efforts in expanding access to clean power.

“Our legislative agenda recognises energy reform as central to our national priorities. Strategic Objective 8.5 aims to promote renewable energy development while ensuring access, efficiency, and environmental responsibility,” he said.

Among recent legislative milestones, he cited the House’s passage of new tax reform bills that eliminate value added tax (VAT) on renewable energy components and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) technologies.

These reforms, he said, are designed to stimulate private investment and enhance affordability in the clean energy sector.

He said the House is also working to provide legal backing for Nigeria’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy (REEEP) of 2015, a framework that seeks to boost renewable energy adoption, curb greenhouse gas emissions, and improve energy efficiency nationwide.

Abbas noted that the urgency to transition to clean energy is no longer optional, citing global energy trends that show a decisive shift toward renewables.

He noted that in 2024, renewable energy accounted for over 92 per cent of new global power generation capacity, driven primarily by solar and wind, bringing the world’s total installed capacity to over 4,448 gigawatts, a 15 per cent year-on-year increase.