Sustainable Energy Development in Nigeria: Overcoming Energy Poverty

Abstract

Energy availabilty is crucial for the economic growth of any nation in the world today. Access to clean, affordable and reliable energy are necessities in achieving a sustainable development in the modern world. Energy poverty in a country can be said to be a situation where its citizens lack electric power to meet even their own basic needs such as lighthing and cooking. Nigeria, as a country described as the “giant of Africa and the most populated black nation in the world still faces the crisis of energy poverty. Nigeria is blessed with an abundant energy resources of both fossil fuels and renewable energy, but the main challege is the country’s inability to adequately and efficiently utilize these energy resources. This lack of efficent energy utilization has led to the near depletion of the fossil fuel resources within the country’s boarder and the energy crisis afflicting Nigeria is expected to be on the rise if the government does not act immediately by the diversification of country’s energy sources and exploit the abundant natural renewable resources avaliable in the country. This paper reviews the standpoint of efficent energy management with strategic concentration on the demand side energy savings and renewable energy resource potential in Nigeria to ensure sustainable development. The energy situation in the country is reviewed with the consumption parttern of the various fossil fuel resources in the country. The paper also examined the various renewable energy potentials, locations and present ways in which they can be harnessed for useful and uninterrupted energy supply. Some effective strategies and energy policy are presented in order to overcome the energy poverty situation in Nigeria. Keywords: Sustainable energy development; Energy poverty; Renewable energy; Energy savings, Nigeria. JEL Classifications: Q2; Q3; Q4