A professor of renewable energy and Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Environmental Design, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, UDUS, Abubakar Sambo has said that 65 percent of Nigerians currently have access to electricity.
He made the disclosure at the 3rd Public Lecture Series of Sokoto State University, SSU, on Tuesday, 18th January, 2022.
Speaking on the topic, “Harnessing Local Renewable Energy Sources: A panacea For Tackling Global Energy Crises in the 21st Century”, the university don said the problem of the energy sector in the country could be unconnected with inconsistent policy formation and implementation, over the years.
“You know, in this country, there is no sustainability of policy, whenever a new government comes into power, it abandons previous policies by its predecessor, either good or bad and this does not augur well for us,” he stated.
Professor Sambo pointed out that the consequences of lack of electricity, though felt by all, is more suffered by entrepreneurs who operate businesses on generating sets.
According to him, Nigeria is endowed with resources that could generate sufficient electricity for its populace.
Sambo advocated electricity generation through solar and other renewable sources, where the country has comparative advantage.
He also stressed that it was high time Nigeria explored its abundant solar energy to generate electricity as is done by other developing and developed countries around the world.
The don called on relevant stakeholders in the energy sector to look into alternative energy at local, state and federal levels as well as encouraged research activities, based on Nigeria local resources and challenges.
Sambo stated that if energy researchers do not rise to the challenges, Nigeria, though with comparative advantage over, would remain a mere consumer of energy from foreign countries.
The State Commissioner for Energy and Petroleum Resources, Aliyu Dandinmahe, who served as Chairman of the occasion, said the theme of the lecture was apt and timely, stressing that the state-owned Independent Power Project, has the generation capacity of 4 megawatts of electricity, which would complement that from the national grid.
Earlier in his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of SSU, Professor Sani Dangoggo promised that the lecture would be educative and informative because the Guest Speaker is an authority in the area of renewable energy and the theme of the lecture was carefully selected.
In his goodwill message, the Commissioner for Higher Education, Professor Bashir Garba said as astute scholar, the Guest Lecturer is the most qualified personality to speak on the topic.
Similarly, the Vice-Chancellor of UDUS, Professor Lawal Bilbis applauded the effort of Sokoto State University Sokoto for organising the public lecture, which is 3rd in the series.
Bilbis, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Professor Mohammed Mahuta urged the institution to maintain the tempo.
In her vote of thanks, the Registrar of the University, Amina Garba expressed management’s appreciation to all who graced the occasion.
