The National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dayo Israel, on Monday said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu deserves the support of Nigerians in his efforts to address the country’s long-standing energy challenges, insisting that reliable electricity remains the backbone of economic growth, industrialisation and national development.

Israel spoke at the opening ceremony of the Dr Mustapha Abdullahi Energy Leadership Fellowship (MAELF) in Abuja, where he said the APC Youth Wing established the initiative to complement the Tinubu administration’s renewable energy agenda by nurturing a new generation of young energy professionals and innovators.

The seven-day residential fellowship is designed to equip participants with practical knowledge in renewable energy, energy transition policies, climate action, leadership and governance, while providing opportunities for engagement with policymakers and regulatory agencies in the energy sector.

According to him, Nigeria’s persistent power deficit continues to undermine businesses, manufacturing, agriculture and job creation, making energy reform one of the country’s most pressing priorities.

He said the APC Youth Wing believes supporting the President’s energy agenda is essential to achieving sustainable economic transformation.

“We know that energy has been a major problem in Nigeria, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that if he doesn’t fix Nigeria’s energy issues, Nigerians should hold him responsible. As a party, we believe we must support the President in achieving that vision.

“He has invested significantly in renewable energy and in transforming Nigeria’s energy ecosystem. That is why we created the Mustapha Abdullahi Energy Leadership Fellowship—to support the President’s renewable energy agenda and ensure that young Nigerians who are active in the energy ecosystem can engage directly with policymakers and decision-makers,” Israel said.

He explained that participants in the fellowship would interact with officials of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, the Rural Electrification Agency and other government institutions responsible for energy policy and implementation.

According to him, the engagements are expected to foster partnerships that will help young entrepreneurs and innovators translate their ideas into practical solutions capable of expanding access to affordable and sustainable energy.
Israel also announced a N17.5 million grant for fellows, supported by Dr Mustapha Abdullahi and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to encourage innovative renewable energy projects and youth-led enterprises.

“There will be enormous opportunities for young people to engage regulators and government agencies, build partnerships and access support that can help them achieve their energy enterprise goals.

“Our focus is on renewable energy, biogas and other innovative power solutions. We want the era of ‘Up NEPA’ to become a thing of the past. We want to support the President’s vision for improved power generation and distribution while encouraging new players into the sector,” he said.

The APC youth leader maintained that improved electricity supply would accelerate industrialisation, stimulate investment and improve the quality of life for millions of Nigerians.

He noted that the Federal Government’s ongoing investments in infrastructure, including major road projects across the country, would deliver greater economic benefits if complemented by reliable electricity.

“Our target is to make Nigeria a better place and create an environment where Nigerians in the diaspora are proud to return home and invest. For that to happen, we must continue improving infrastructure.

“The President is investing in projects such as the Lagos Coastal Highway, the Sokoto-Badagry Highway and several other strategic infrastructure projects. But when you build roads, industries must follow, and industries cannot thrive without stable power. Energy remains at the heart of national development, and we want to contribute our quota to the President’s efforts to build a stronger Nigeria,” he added.

Speaking at the event, one of the fellows and Co-founder of Fosun Solar Energy Nigeria Limited, Nafisat Ovurebu, said Nigeria’s biggest energy challenge is not the availability of natural resources but the inability to convert those resources into reliable electricity.

She observed that despite the country’s abundant renewable and conventional energy resources, millions of Nigerians continue to struggle with inadequate electricity because of challenges in generation, transmission, distribution and financing.

“In Nigeria, our biggest challenge is not the availability of resources because we have abundant energy resources. However, abundance does not automatically translate into reliability. Our national conversation should shift towards improving how energy is generated, transmitted, distributed and financed. Those are the issues that must be addressed if we are to achieve sustainable electricity for all Nigerians,” she said.

Ovurebu said initiatives such as the fellowship would help develop a new generation of energy leaders capable of providing innovative solutions to Nigeria’s electricity challenges while supporting the country’s transition to cleaner and more sustainable energy sources.

She expressed optimism that closer collaboration between young innovators, government agencies and private sector stakeholders would accelerate investment in renewable energy and strengthen Nigeria’s energy security.

The fellowship is expected to expose participants to practical policy engagements, leadership development, enterprise support and mentorship aimed at preparing them to play leading roles in Nigeria’s evolving energy sector.