‘Time to leverage natural resources for energy transition’ 

Experts in the energy sector have called on the Nigerian Government and Africa to utilise their natural resources to effectively transition to clean energy.

The call was made at the 8th Energy Summit of Solewant Group, held in Alode Eleme, Rivers State.

The Dean, School of Engineering Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), Prof. Religious Uche, in a paper titled, “Exploring Oil Sector Innovations for Energy Transition in Africa,” noted that despite the huge deposit of natural resources in Nigeria, the country is lagging in the comity of nations due to its underutilised resources.

“Africa’s energy sector is at a crossroads. We have the resources, but we need to utilise them effectively to drive economic growth and development.

“Despite having 125 billion barrels of oil reserve and 17.89 trillion standard cubic meters of gas, Africa’s per capita energy consumption is lower than the global average,” he said.

Prof. Uche emphasised the need for a robust sustainable development plan and the utilisation of emerging and clean energy sources such as Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), and Carbon capture.

“We need to adopt a holistic approach to energy development, one that takes into account the need for economic growth, environmental sustainability, and social justice,” he added.

The High Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago to Nigeria, Wendell De Leandro, presented a paper titled, “Unlocking Gas Potential as Catalyst for Energy Transition in Africa.” He criticised Nigeria’s continued gas flaring, citing his country’s success in utilising gas for clean energy.
He said: “Nigeria has the potential to become a major player in the global energy market, but needs to stop gas flaring and focus on developing its gas resources.”

The High Commissioner noted that Trinidad and Tobago has been able to utilise its gas resources to generate electricity, power industries, and provide clean energy for transportation.