- The energy projects include small hydropower development for agro-industry use in Nigeria and advancing Nigeria’s green and just transition to net zero.
- The SHP-DAIN is a three-year project with a budget of €5 million, while the net zero is a three-year project with a budget of €4 million.
The European Union (EU) has launched two new projects worth €9 million in Nigeria’s energy sector. With these projects, the EU is continuing its commitment to support the federal government in providing clean, affordable and sustainable energy.
The EU disclosed this yesterday during the project inception workshop organised in partnership with the federal government and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation in Abuja. The EU stressed the importance of private sector participation to the project’s success.
The projects include small hydropower development for agro-industry use in Nigeria (SHP-DAIN) and advancing Nigeria’s green and just transition to net zero through circular economy practices. These projects aim to enhance energy accessibility and promote circular economy practices to address pollution and climate change.
While the SHP-DAIN is a three-year project with a budget of €5 million, advancing Nigeria’s green transition to net zero through circular economy practices is also a three-year project with a budget of €4 million.
During the launch, the EU ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Samuela Isopi, said the SHP-DAIN project would increase the capacity of small hydropower in Nigeria’s total energy mix. This aims to promote productivity along the agricultural value chains and other businesses, enhance livelihoods, and promote food security and decent work.
“The SHP-DAIN will support capacity strengthening of major actors from private, government, finance and target micro, small and medium enterprises sectors in the specifics of small hydropower through tailored training(s) and knowledge management.
“It will support the establishment of SHP of 2MW cumulative capacity for agro-industrial use across the six geo-political zones of Nigeria.
“It will support the development of policy and institutional framework on renewable energy for productive uses to streamline policies/incentive schemes towards a greater use of SHP, with cross-cutting activities for ensuring sustainability, which includes awareness development, visibility promotion, implementation of gender strategies, project management and monitoring.”
Furthermore, Isopi said that the second project, advancing Nigeria’s green and just transition to net zero through circular economy practices, targets improving the management of used off-grid energy equipment and plastics through circular economy practices to mitigate pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
According to her, the new initiative would support the strengthening of policy and regulatory framework on promoting circular economy principles and practices, and management of used energy equipment, and related implementation capacity while supporting the strengthening of enabling institutions at the federal and state levels.
“It will support the strengthening of the private sector by developing business models to support SME-led circular economy practices, including reusing and recycling of used equipment in the energy sector, with cross-cutting activities for ensuring sustainability, which includes awareness development, visibility promotion, implementation of gender strategies, project management and monitoring,” she added.
On his part, the minister of power, Adebayo Adelabu, while officially launching the projects, expressed confidence that the projects will not only enhance the management of used off-grid energy equipment and plastics but also increase agricultural productivity and improve livelihoods. He also inaugurated project steering committees to ensure the success of the projects.