By Tina George, reporting from Abuja
Stakeholders in the energy sector have advised Nigerian government to take control of the narrative and engage in addressing energy transition from a Nigerian rather than the western perspective.
The energy players noted that the transition plan of the federal government needs to involve a well-thought-out strategy that would give Nigeria control over its own energy and reduce its poverty to the lowest minimum.
These points were the recommendations of major stakeholders during the 2022 National Conference of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) held in Abuja between 19th and 22nd of September 2022 with the theme, “Just Energy Transition: An Enabler for Sustainable Development in Nigeria”.
The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Adeleke Mamora noted that while there is a need for energy transition, Nigeria should develop its strategy by looking at the reality of its own situation, adding that one of the pointers for the success of energy transition is the creation of 18 million jobs.
“The energy transition plan has not been well thought through; just because we want to align with the west, borrow other people’s ideas, it is too premature to start talking of energy transition.
“When talking about energy transition, we must apply the reality of our own situation and chart a course that won’t be detrimental to us as a nation. We agree there is need for transition but there is a more need for it to be in the reality of our situation,” Mamora said.
According to him, the Ministry would partner with APWEN in its bid to achieve the energy transition plan of the federal government, while encouraging energy stakeholders to take advantage of the policies of government for robust use of energy transition to drive sustainable development in Nigeria.
The lead speaker and Group Executive Director, Upstream NNPC, Engr. Adokiye Tombomieye who acknowledged that energy transition is real, advocated for a gradual and flexible approach for the change and for which Nigeria must be prepared.
He lamented that Nigeria is still in an anti-energy transition because the country’s crude oil and gas remained key elixir for the successful implementation of its national budget as well as the source of funds for its sustainable development and more diversified economy.
“Natural gas remains a very important transition fuel for sustainable development and Nigeria has a healthy balance of gas and oil. The energy transition also comes with the opportunities of carbon credits and because Nigeria produced gas and oil, we can market our carbon which will also be an incentive for us to process funding from Financial Institutions.
“It is imperative to continue to develop our substantial gas resources while also advancing the adoption of renewable energy sources, to advance and succeed with its energy transition strategy. Nigeria’s energy transition will create significant investment opportunities such as the establishment and expansion of industries related to solar energy, hydrogen, and electric vehicles.
“It is pertinent to acknowledge that Nigeria is well endowed with abundant Renewable Energy (RE) which includes Hydropower, Solar Photovoltaic Technology, Wind, Geothermal, and Biomass. These alternatives can be exploited to diversify the nation’s energy mix beyond the current fossil fuel sources and guarantee energy security for the nation,” he said.
One of the Guest Speakers and the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Wabote said there is need to support energy sufficiency as a platform to energy transition, which would provide support for the value chain through energy sufficiency programmes.
Wabote, who was represented by the manager of NCDMB, Silas Ajimijaye disclosed that the Board has provided a $40 million gas intervention fund for women and women businesses in the energy, oil and gas sector.
“Aside from the $500 million already subscribed in the oil and gas. We pulled out the $40 million to encourage women in the energy transition. We have identified solar energy as an integral part of the energy transition, and we are supporting President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to ensure the transition to zero carbon emulsion by 2060 is achieved,” he said.
Wabote further said that the board is partnering with other government agencies to ensure the delivery of the decades of gas programme adding that the Board has a mirage of gas processes, gas development, marketing project and infrastructural development projects all over the country.
Another Guest Speaker and Managing Director of Heirs Oil and Gas Limited, Engr. Osanyande Igiehon said that a just energy transition should be one that is fair, equitable and inclusive, which could create opportunities for all and ensure that no one is left out in the distribution of energy.
“If we do not take a Nigerian perspective while planning for energy transition, we will be disadvantaged and it would be disastrous. The Nigerian energy transition plan needs to be a Nigerian plan.”
He further said that there is need for the conversation to be raised about how Nigerians are going to engineer the country during the energy transition, especially when the country’s economy is linked to oil and gas.
The APWEN President, Engr. Elizabeth Jumoke Eterigho said that a just energy transition is a transition towards a sustainable, low carbon and equitable energy system that is aimed at improving the lives of people and sustaining the environment.
She said the theme is apt because the transition of the energy sector will require significant investments and investors need to know what they are going into.
She further stressed that the just transition could be aided by investment in various human capital development strategies.
“It will create alternatives to people and regions such as Nigeria trapped in fossil fuel dynamics through new economic opportunity, education and skills training and adequate social safety systems. These strategies must be carried out by the Government, the Energy Companies as well as all other Energy Stakeholders.”
Reading the communique at the end of the conference, Eterigho noted that the Nigerian energy transition plan can work with professionalism and not politicking.
She added that the renewable energy sector still has many unexplored potentials and that securing the appropriate funds, partnerships and technology will accelerate large investments in the nation and put it in line with the global decarbonization movement.
Eterigho then called for the active involvement and participation of women engineers in the decade of gas initiative by the federal government, saying that the country has improved greatly because more women are involved in developing the nation as the number of women in the engineering sector is progressively increasing in Nigeria and the world at Large.
The 2022 APWEN Conference had in attendance over 500 women engineers and collegiate from across the country.
Eighteen research papers were presented while awards were given to female engineers, and science and engineering students who had distinguished themselves in various fields of engineering and technology.
