EnergyAccessAfrica

Access to Renewable Energy Energy Cooking Stove. Photo: UNDP Nigeria The energy sector is of strategic importance to the Nigerian economy, and a major driver for growth. It is a macro economic importance; it also has a major role to play in reducing poverty, improving productivity and enhancing the general quality of life of Nigerian People. However, Nigeria is currently facing an energy crisis, with only 47% of the population having access to electricity; deficiencies in access to modern thermal and mechanical energy services, as well as insufficient public capitalization of the oil and gas production. There are important advantages to be gained from an increased access to renewable energy sources and services. Expanding access to renewable energy services in rural and peri-urban areas is associated with a number of challenges, and innovative approaches have to be considered. The UNDP Access to Renewable Energy Programme focuses on increasing the national capacity t...

N600b solar power for UNILORIN To ensure stable electricity supply in the institution, the University of Ilorin signs a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with an American company, Arrow Capital Solar Company, to produce 500 mega watts of solar energy Brian Travis and Professor Ambali at the signing ceremony in Ilorin In its bid to ensure that the University of Ilorin has an uninterrupted supply of electricity, the institution has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with an American company, Arrow Capital Solar Company, to produce 500 mega watts of solar energy. The project, that would gulp N600 billion, would commence immediately and is expected to be completed in October this year. The project is the first of its kind in the Nigerian universities as well as the subregion. Addressing select journalists in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital over the weekend while signing the MoU, the Chief Executive Officer of Arrow Capital Solar Company, Brian Travis, said the pro...

IMPROVING ENERGY ACCESS IN NIGERIA LGO STUDENT BUILDS ENERGY BUSINESS TO INCREASE SOLAR POWER IN HER HOME COUNTRY Chinasa Emeghara, LGO ’17 As a child in Nigeria, Chinasa Emeghara, LGO ’17, saw firsthand how difficult it is to live without reliable electricity. Today, she is addressing this global challenge directly by starting a solar energy company. “[In Nigeria], businesses have to shut down at 4 p.m. because there’s no electricity, or they have to pay for generators, which are expensive and inefficient,” said Emeghara. “There were many occasions when I couldn't study after school because the lights were out.” Emeghara moved to Texas when she was 10 years old and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. She then spent four years as a consultant for Accenture working in the energy sector. Drawn to MIT by her interest in operations, she enrolled in MIT’s  Leaders for Global Operation...

‘How Decentralised Renewable Energy Can Boost Nigerian’s Access To Power’ With about 60 per cent of Nigerians said to have no access to grid electricity, a global campaign organisation, Power For All, which focuses on accelerating energy access and addressing energy poverty globally, has advised that Nigeria can quickly close its energy access deficit through decentralised renewables. The organisation which recently launched in Nigeria, said it seeks to mobilise a coalition of private sector, and civil society stakeholders to work with government to promote decentralised off grid energy as the best solution for universal energy access by 2025. Speaking exclusively to LEADERSHIP, the organisations newly appointed campaign director for Nigeria, Ms. Ify Malo, explained that the campaign serves as a collective voice for businesses and civil society focused on off-grid solutions, including solar, mini-grid, micro-hydro, biomass and small-scale wind. Distributed renewables, she s...

Power Africa to invest $1 billion to increase energy access in Nigeria Summary The goal of Power Africa is to increase access to cleaner and more efficient electricity in sub-Saharan Africa. T Power Africa, the U.S. government partnership with African governments to double access to electricity in sub Saharan Africa, has said it plans to invest up to $1 billion toward the development of Nigeria’s electricity sector. The programme’s coordinator, Andrew Herscowitz, made this announcement on Tuesday at a press conference in Abuja. Herscowitz said the US government has already invested huge funds in a number of energy projects in Nigeria. According to the initiative, 95 million Nigerians currently lack access to electricity and those who do, have to endure prolonged power outages. Despite having 12,500 MW of installed generation capacity, Nigeria, however, generates between 3500 to 5000 MW of electricity. “Since Power Africa was launched, the US Trade Deve...

NASS May Amend Laws On Power Generation  Amending the laws on power generation, transmission and distribution may be the best approach to solving Nigeria’s electricity problems. This was the observation made by Senate President Bukola Saraki, during a guided tour of an energy self-sufficient village in Germany. He said the National Assembly has to amend the laws to allow communities generate energy and to allow creativity and the involvement of the private sector. “In trying to find a solution to our problem, we might start thinking about decentralisation. “Looking at what we have seen here, if we can do same, whether by using solar or even wind, and more importantly decentralize, maybe that might begin to address some issues.” In an interview with Channels Television, the project leader of the energy self-sufficient village, Werner Frohwitter, also expressed optimism that Nigeria would benefit from switching to renewable energy for electricity generati...

FG Seeks Investments in Smaller, Fit-for-Purpose Power Systems Font Size:  a  /  A Chineme Okafor in Abuja The federal government has asked potential investors in Nigeria’s power sector to consider putting up smaller, fit-for-purpose electricity systems with deliberate attention to Nigeria's peculiar challenge of unstable electricity supply. The government said in Nigeria’s quest for quicker and easier solution to its electricity challenges, such simple power systems would augment and perhaps keep electricity supply stable pending the completion of planned large power systems. The permanent secretary in the ministry of power, Godknows Igali told a delegation of Polish investors led by the Polish Minister of Economy, Andrzej Dycha to consider deploying his country’s wealth of technological expertise in such small power systems into Nigeria. Igali asked the visitors to set up power plants that can deliver smaller megawatts of electricity in the c...

NERC licenses 4 firms to generate 774mw of electricity Author:  Editor Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has issued on-grid licences to four companies to generate 774 megawatts (mw) of electricity. The companies are to generate electricity from solar and gas. The companies are Pan Africa Solar Limited, based in Kankia, Katsina State, to generate 24mw from solar, and Nigeria Solar Capital Partners Limited, based in Ganjuwa, Bauchi State, to generate 100mw from solar. Others are Proton Energy Limited, based in Ogorode, Delta State, to generate 150mw from gas, and Turbine Drives Limited, based in Ajaokuta, to generate 500mw from gas. Sam Amadi, chairman of NERC, who presented the licences to the com- panies in Abuja on Mon- day, told the companies to abide by the rules of the market, saying that rules and procedures guiding the operations of the mar- ket were globally compa- rable. “We do our best to fol- low the rules which are globally comparab...