Nigeria to broaden its energy mix to guarantee accessibility – Onu
NAN-H-101
Energy
By Constance Athekame
Abuja, March 6, 2017 (NAN) Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, said on Monday that the country would broaden its energy mix to guarantee accessibility by all Nigerians.
Onu said this in Abuja when he received Dr Urban Rusnak, Secretary General, International Energy Charter and its team in his office.
According to him, government wants to broaden the energy mix by making sure that all Nigerians have access to energy.
“The renewable energy will occupy a very prominent part in that energy mix and the Energy Commission of Nigeria and other research institutes within the ministry of science and technology are working on different aspects of energy.
“We are working in the area of renewable energy, solar energy, wind energy, Bio energy and also small hydro power energy.
“The research is very useful because as the knowledge is transferred, the technology is used in our ministry of power.
“We believe that many Nigerians in the rural areas can benefit from these areas,” he said.
Onu said that Nigeria was doing a lot to increase power generation, adding that a number of measures were being put in place.
He said that the power generated was far smaller than what was needed.
The minister explained that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration had invested heavily on power to make sure that power generation is increased in the country.
Speaking on the International Energy Charter, Onu said that it was important that Nigeria becomes a member of the charter for a number of reasons.
The minister said that Nigeria has the largest economy in Africa, the largest market in Africa and the sixth exporter of crude oil to the world.
“Just as the world is in transition in terms of renewable energy, Nigeria is also in transition.
“We are also confident that from tomorrow we will be benefiting more from the charter, you have done a lot of work for over one quarter of a century.
“And that is a lot of experience we will be tapping into as a country to help us to meet many of our needs,” Onu said.
Earlier, Rusnak said that they were in the country to assist in the landmark ceremony where Nigeria will join more than 80 countries and different organisations to subscribe to the charter.
He said that it was important for Nigeria to join charter because the signatories of the charter recognise the importance of energy security of energy producing and consuming countries regardless of the state of economy development.
According to him, access to modern electricity services needs to be based on environmental sound, socially acceptable and economically viable polices with emphasis on mutual responsibility and benefit.
“We have to work together to be able to set up the right policies to create a good environment in which investors could flourish and invest in power generation.
“ For us what matter is the acceptance of energy by the society, its access to the population, to strengthen the cooperation within the nations and industries and also to keep in mind the end users.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that The International Energy Charter is a declaration of political intention aimed at strengthening energy cooperation between the signatory states.
“And which does not bear any legally binding obligation or financial commitment. It maps out common principles for international cooperation in the field of energy. (NAN)
COA/AFA
Edited by Felix Ajide