- The experts push for the continued exploitation of Nigeria’s petroleum and solid mineral resources to meet its developmental needs.
- Dr Terhemen Adzinge argued that it is unrealistic for Nigeria and other African countries to achieve economic development solely through renewable energy.
Amid the global push to reduce reliance on hydrocarbons as an energy source, experts have argued that no nation has achieved economic development solely through renewable energy. They called for the continued exploitation of Nigeria’s petroleum and solid mineral resources to meet its developmental needs.
Delivering a keynote address during a panel session at the 2024 International Conference of the Nigerian Association of Energy Economics (NAEE) in Abuja, the Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr. Dele Alake, highlighted Nigeria’s threefold challenge: ensuring economic growth to reduce poverty, meeting rising energy demand, and protecting the environment to maintain ecological balance.
Represented by his Special Assistant, Amira Waziri, Mr Alake said, “Our energy infrastructure is under increasing strain, driven by urbanisation, industrial expansion, and population growth. Estimates show that Nigeria’s energy consumption will rise significantly in the coming decades. As we pursue development, we also face the urgent task of meeting global climate change and sustainability commitments.”
He acknowledged that while much of Nigeria’s energy demand is currently met through non-renewable sources such as oil, gas, and coal, these resources are finite and contribute to environmental degradation.
He added that the solid minerals sector, including mining, is energy-intensive and must be managed carefully to minimise its environmental footprint.
However, Dr. Terhemen Adzinge of the University of Cape Town, South Africa, argued that it is unrealistic for Nigeria and other African countries to achieve economic development solely through renewable energy.
He described Western nations’ calls to end the use of hydrocarbons as “green colonisation,” stating, “The developed North used fossil fuels to achieve progress and now tells us to halt development and rely on renewable energy. We cannot thrive on renewable energy alone—no nation has developed that way.”
Adzinge further noted, “We face two challenges: the need for energy access and the question of priorities. Our energy poverty is so severe that we may not be able to engage meaningfully in the energy transition conversation. Yes, we need energy transition, but we must also ensure better energy access for our people.”
Stressing the need for an inclusive energy mix, energy economics expert Prof. Wumi Iledare added that despite the growing calls for energy transition, “killing oil and gas in favour of renewable energy will not work. Net zero is unattainable if petroleum is removed from the energy mix.”
In her contribution, Dr Joy Ogaji, CEO of the Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC), lamented the absence of a unified policy to drive Nigeria’s energy sector. She argued that Nigeria’s pursuit of energy sufficiency would remain elusive unless the current policy inconsistencies are addressed.