Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has assured that 25 million Nigerians will enjoy electricity in the country by 2023.
“We have developed an Economic Sustainability Plan, which includes our flagship Solar Power Naija programme aiming to electrify 5 million households and 25 million people by 2023, leveraging solar mini-grids and stand-alone systems.”
Professor
Osinbajo, who spoke today, May 18, at the 7th Annual New York-based Columbia
University Global Energy Summit organized by the Columbia Centre on Global
Energy Policy, said that Nigeria believe in the potential of off-grid
renewables to close the energy deficit even across Africa.
“But we also look to developed countries, the private sector, and development
agencies to recognise the potential that a just and clean energy transition can
bring to the development of our continent and other developing regions.
“We hope to work jointly towards common goals including the market and
environmental opportunity presented by the financing of clean energy assets in
growing energy markets.”
The
Vice President stressed the need for equity, adding: “limiting the development
of gas projects, poses dire challenges for African nations, while making an
insignificant dent in global emissions.”
He emphasized the need for justice, social justice, and fairness, even as he
said: “what is often not sufficiently considered in thinking through the
transition to net-zero emissions is the critical role that energy, in our case,
gas plays in catalyzing economic development and supporting people’s health and
livelihoods, especially in poorer countries.
“Natural gas is currently used for industry, fertilizer manufacturing, and
cooking – which are more difficult to transition than power generation.”
On the access element of the energy transition, the Vice President explained
that “it must be linked with the emission reduction aspect.
“Pathways to reaching net-zero by 2050 have to include first ending energy
poverty by 2030. If energy access issues are left unaddressed, we will continue
to see growing energy demand being addressed with high polluting and
deforesting fuels such as diesel, kerosene, and firewood.”