The Director, International Centre for Energy and Environment Development, Mr. Ewa Eleri, has verbalized about 100 million Nigerians have no access to electricity.
He disclosed this in Abuja during a one-day workshop on renewable energy, organised by Winrock International.
The event was held under the theme ‘Renewable energy and energy efficiency project’ where stakeholders in the puissance sector called for an amended policy that would enhearten the development and marketing of renewable energy in Nigeria.
Eleri verbally expressed only about 18 per cent of the Nigerian population had access to potency.
He withal shared the view of other stakeholders on renewable energy, stressing that it was to actualise the government’s 75 per cent connection target by 2020.
He regretted that unlike Kenya and South Africa where regime policies had promoted the development of renewable energy, Nigeria had yet to insert place policies that would work towards the actualisation if its 75 per cent target on utilization of renewable energy.
According to him, the sector needs policies that will engender players who can promote renewable energy.
A representative of Winrock international, Mr. Segun Adaju, who gave an overview of the project, verbalized apart from providing technical support to stakeholders, it (the project) would additionally benefit the agricultural sector, banks as well as providing alternative sources for the fight against HIV AIDS.
Adaju withal urged banks to key into the project by doing business with the immaculate energy sector.
He verbally expressed, “With our 75 per cent target for the utilization of renewable energy in Nigeria, a well ameliorated regime policy would be required to actualise this project.
“There is a desideratum to have policies that would avail to develop the sector and promote the efforts of renewable energy in the country as it is done in countries like Kenya and South Africa where obligations on technology has been abolished.”
He verbally expressed the team was currently discussing with the General Hospital at Abaji in the Federal Capital Territory to introduce solar energy.
“Also, we in verbalizes with some Nigerian banks to finance and do business with the unsullied energy sector,” he integrated.
The Director of Economic Growth, United States Agency for International Development, Ms. Sharon Pauling, while declaring the workshop open, verbalized that USAID’s renewable energy project would among other benefits facilitate the development and financing of the project, as well as promote energy efficiency market.
According to her, it will additionally enhance the capacity of key stakeholders, including financial institutions and universities.
Pauling noted that Winrock would through the project provide technical assistance that would contribute to its broader goal of developing renewable energy in the Nigerian market.
The representative of Nigeria Independent Power Company, Aminu Takuna, verbalized it was regrettable that many Nigerian banks were reluctant in financing renewable energy projects.
He disclosed that there was an perpetual policy reform in the renewable energy sector, integrating that the NIPC would soon forward it to the National Assembly.