Exploring the potentials, barriers and option for support in the Nigeria renewable energy industry

Abstract

Climate change remains a pivotal area and a persistent challenging issue for deliberation among the nations of the world. Most especially in a country like Nigeria, where fossil fuel remains a pivotal source of socio-economic development and well-being of the society. Transforming the Nigeria electricity sector into a source for reducing the country’s carbon emission remains a significant challenge to policymakers, i.e. the Government. This is attributed to the fact that the nation’s primary energy sources come from traditional biomass and fossil fuel such as coal, and natural oil and gas, which has contributed significantly to the level of carbon emissions. In this paper, we explored and identified the potentials, barriers and option for renewable energy in Nigeria. The findings of the review revealed that the Nigerian electricity sector is crucial to reducing the carbon emission generated in the country. Likewise, it is of no doubt that Nigeria is endowed with a different mix of renewable energy sources. Hence, exploring and developing these renewable energy sources will aid the effort of the government in reducing the country’s input to the global carbon emission, instrumental to the socio-economic development of the country and improved well-being of the society at large. Also, policy recommendations to foster renewable energy development were identified.

Assessment of Renewable Electricity Policy for Sustainable Electricity Generation in Nigeria

“…Policy should accelerate the deployment of renewable electricity generation, but lack of political will and its adverse effect limits its impact in stimulating the integration of renewable electricity generation. Herein, aggregate renewable policy (NREEEP) represents political will since Nigeria's specific renewable electricity policy, including incentives/subsidies, only exists on paper [11,12]. This result corroborates the assertion that fossil-fuel endowed countries experience low clean energy transition due to weak institutions and regulatory framework [13] and the favourable investment climate for fossil fuel [14].…”

Solar energy: A panacea for the electricity generation crisis in Nigeria

“…Some factors hinder the adoption of RE policies in a country like Nigeria, Adeyanju et al [17] discussed some potentials for RE adoption in Nigeria. They also discussed some barriers: high dependence on fossil fuels, high cost of infrastructure, high level of insecurities, and poor access to data on time, politics, etc.…”

Challenges to energy transitioning in commercial buildings in the Nigerian built environment – from generator to RETs economy

“…As such, its GHG contributions are certain to increase (IEA, 2019). These factors have and continue to drive the call for a cleaner energy sector (Adeyanju et al, 2020), particularly as self-generation through privately-owned generators is widespread (Ajenikoko et al, 2018;Adejoro, 2017;Imandojemu and Tonuchi, 2021). Nigeria is the largest user of generators in Africa (IEA, 2019) and the region's 2 nd largest GHG emitter (Ritchie and Roser, 2019) as can be seen in This is despite its noteworthy catalogue of both conventional and RE resources and energy potential (Akhator et al, 2019;Chanchangi et al 2022), described as underexploited and/or overshadowed due to its oil-producing capacity and exportation gains (Abdullahi, et al 2021;Adeyanju et al, 2020;Cervigni et al's, 2013).…”

“…These factors have and continue to drive the call for a cleaner energy sector (Adeyanju et al, 2020), particularly as self-generation through privately-owned generators is widespread (Ajenikoko et al, 2018;Adejoro, 2017;Imandojemu and Tonuchi, 2021). Nigeria is the largest user of generators in Africa (IEA, 2019) and the region's 2 nd largest GHG emitter (Ritchie and Roser, 2019) as can be seen in This is despite its noteworthy catalogue of both conventional and RE resources and energy potential (Akhator et al, 2019;Chanchangi et al 2022), described as underexploited and/or overshadowed due to its oil-producing capacity and exportation gains (Abdullahi, et al 2021;Adeyanju et al, 2020;Cervigni et al's, 2013). Nigeria is ranked as a leading country with high solar potential (Ohunakin et al, 2014), with solar recognised not only key to its national energy diversification but also its direct and/or specific use in buildings due to its widespread availability and diverse application (Adesanya and Schelly, 2019;Mas'ud et al, 2021).…”