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Nigeria inches towards sustainable energy for all agenda

By Chinedum Uwaegbulam
25 July 2016   |   5:12 am
Following the epileptic power supply to many Nigerian homes, the Federal Government is considering the establishment of clean coal plant to increase power generation in the country.
 On front row, Director, Programme and Implementation, NEPAD office, Nigeria, Mr. Sunday Ogu (second left); Director-General/CEO, Energy Commission of Nigeria, Prof. Eli Jidere Bala (third left); Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu; Head, Environment and Sustainable Development, UNDP, Mr. Muyiwa Odele and other dignitaries at the validation of the draft Sustainable Energy for ALL (SE4ALL) Action Agenda for Nigeria in Abuja, recently

On front row, Director, Programme and Implementation, NEPAD office, Nigeria, Mr. Sunday Ogu (second left); Director-General/CEO, Energy Commission of Nigeria, Prof. Eli Jidere Bala (third left); Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu; Head, Environment and Sustainable Development, UNDP, Mr. Muyiwa Odele and other dignitaries at the validation of the draft Sustainable Energy for ALL (SE4ALL) Action Agenda for Nigeria in Abuja, recently

Following the epileptic power supply to many Nigerian homes, the Federal Government is considering the establishment of clean coal plant to increase power generation in the country.

The plan is part of Sustainable Energy for ALL (SE4ALL) Action Agenda for Nigeria, with objectives of ensuring universal access to modern energy services; doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix; and doubling the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency, all by 2030.

Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, who spoke at the opening of a two-day national technical validation workshop on Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) action agenda organized by Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) with support of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Abuja, recently, said the ministry has embarked on research to ensure the new coal plants are environment-friendly.

He said that it is urgent for the country to diversify its energy sources so that if one of the sources have problem, there would be an alternative.“Achieving SE4ALL objectives require country-specific strategies and action plans across government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to support the mainstreaming of energy into the development process.

“The role of energy as a commodity for foreign exchange earnings and an instrument for growing other sub-sectors of the domestic economy, as well as an instrument for international politics cannot be over emphasised.

UNDP Head, Environment and Sustainable Development, Mr. Muyiwa Odele, who represented the Country Director, noted that SE4ALL initiative would go a long way to complement the government’s efforts at increasing Nigeria’s access to electricity and other modern energy services for economic growth, particularly now when the country is experiencing energy challenges, which has led to many individuals and corporate bodies having to depend on the use of privately owned generators to meet their electricity needs.

Odele, who reminded the distinguished gathering that the time frame to achieve the objectives of the SE4ALL by 2030 was less than 15 years, said as things stand, “the promotion of renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency becomes an operative to meet the energy need of many Nigerians both in the rural and urban areas.”

He disclosed that UNDP with support from the Global Environment Facility and in collaboration with the ECN launched the Energy Efficiency Programme, which made tremendous achievement by; supporting the federal government to put in place Minimum Energy Performance Standards for two major sets of appliances –lighting and refrigerators for regulation of sub-standard products.

It also supported the government to establish Standard Energy Efficiency Testing Laboratories for lighting appliances and refrigerator at the Standard Organisation of Nigeria for quality standardization.

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