Renewable Energy Development In Nigeria

A reflection on the uptake of renewable energy in Nigeria, technological challenges facing the sector and suggested solutions to address development issues.

Overview of Nigeria’s Renewable Energy Sector

Utilising renewable energy sources to generate power for multiple uses is one of the most sustainable and economical practices in developing and developed nations. This involves harnessing the power of wind, sunlight, water, biomass and so on to meet the rising needs of humans. Several organisations have tapped into this opportunity to build an efficient system for their growth and expansion while minimising costs incurred using fossil fuel-dependent energy sources. Another benefit of tapping into renewable energy sources is the environmental friendliness compared to other energy sources. They do not contribute to climate change or cause environmental pollution. Instead, they encourage practices that rebuild the environment into its natural state to support life.

Nigeria is one of the leading West African countries in technological startups. Numerous startups or companies have substituted non-renewable energy sources with renewable energy sources. These organisations can see the vast potential in this sector, benefiting from low running costs by using renewable energy sources. Several bodies have set a goal to identify and nurture startups and innovations in green energy. One of such bodies is the Nigeria Climate Innovation Center (NCIC) incubation programme, which aims to support early-stage ventures in the green energy sector.

Benefits of Renewable Energy in Nigeria

There are several benefits of renewable energy, as discussed earlier. The significant advantage over fossil fuels in generating power is environmental friendliness; it’s dependent on nature rather than refilling or refuelling with resources and cheaper in the long run. These factors have been considered by several enterprises and organisations harnessing this means of power to propel their growth and development.

In the agricultural industry, renewable energy sources such as windmills or solar power can cause a considerable transition from conventional farming to smart farming. The power supply is consistent on the farm, and various machines can be used for multiple operations. This increases farmers’ production capacity and food supply and restores vegetation in degraded land.

Various small to medium scale enterprises can also harness the power of renewable energy to hasten their business growth and expansion. Rather than depending on the irregular energy supply from the government, each business could develop its source of energy using solar panels or other alternatives as deemed fit. This will increase their running efficiencies and eventual expansion.

Another untapped potential of renewable energy sources is their use in food preservation or as a mechanism for drying and preserving food from spoilage. This brings out the uniqueness of renewable energy as they are not irregular in power generation, hence ensuring that food is safe and with a long shelf life. Some of this is seen in solar-powered cold hubs that help in preserving agricultural products like vegetables and fruits.

Uptake of Renewable Energy Sources in Nigeria

In Nigeria, surveys reveal that most people seem uninterested in renewable energy sources due to the belief that it is costly to set up and manage. This is, however, far from the truth. Setting up a renewable energy power plant may look expensive initially, but it becomes cheaper over time than fossil fuels. Several international bodies are interested in this sector due to the environmental friendliness and are willing to support business ventures delivering products or services in this sector. Therefore, there are numerous opportunities for Nigerian owned technological startups to address needs in this sector. These opportunities could be fund support, technical assistance or provision with appropriate networks. However, it is pitiful that only a few have tapped into the vast opportunities in this sector to drive growth in their businesses.

Enhancing the Use of Renewable Energy Sources

One significant way to enhance renewable energy sources in Nigeria is to sensitise the public, making them aware of the numerous opportunities and benefits of harnessing this power means. This can be achieved by organising renewable energy programs and supporting existing businesses that have tapped into the potential in this sector. The role of government in ensuring this is also crucial for the national adoption of green energy.

Technological Challenges of Renewable Energy in Nigeria

Like every other sector, the renewable energy sector has challenges that limit its easy adoption. One of such challenges is the high cost of the initial setup. Solar panels, windmills, hydroelectric power generators and so on have a high set-up cost due to the volume, expensive nature of the raw materials needed and limited manufacturing professionals in this sector. This, therefore, serves as a massive opportunity for individuals and businesses interested in the manufacturing aspect of this sector. Also, the power generated by renewable energy power plants is dependent on the size of the plant or panels (e.g. for solar power). A small windmill will generate relatively low power, likewise for solar panels. This means a technological gap between these systems and their efficiency. Therefore, scientists are urged to develop efficient systems that produce high kilowatt energy with small power plants or solar panels.

Solutions to Address Technological Development Issues in the Sector

As stated earlier, the major technological challenge in this sector results from the lack of manufacturing professionals. Therefore, more individuals and businesses must manufacture the needed products in this sector to solve this issue, such as solar panels, windmills, and water turbines. To achieve this, a suggestion is for both the non-governmental organisations and the government to incentivise startups to encourage individuals and businesses to be innovative in product designs in this sector.

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