- Speaker Abbas Tajudeen says despite attracting billions in renewable energy investments, many Nigerians still lack stable electricity.
- The House Committee on Renewable Energy is investigating the gaps in the $2 billion renewable energy grants received between 2015 and 2024.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has expressed concerns about Nigerians’ persistent electricity challenges despite attracting billions of dollars in renewable energy grants and investments since 2015. At a public hearing on $2 billion worth of renewable energy grants and investments received between 2015 and 2024, organised by the House Committee on Renewable Energy in Abuja on Tuesday, Abbas highlighted that many Nigerians still struggle with unstable and unreliable power supply.
Represented by the Minority Whip, Hon. Ali Isah (PDP, Gombe), the Speaker noted that large parts of Northern Nigeria had recently experienced prolonged blackouts, with little explanation or accountability from the authorities. He pointed out that while Nigeria had secured significant investments in renewable energy from domestic and international sources to improve the nation’s energy infrastructure and reduce reliance on fossil fuels, the public has not adequately felt the benefits.
“This situation is familiar to millions of Nigerians who continue to live without adequate power supply, or in some cases, without power at all,” Abbas said. “This investigation is not meant to point fingers or assign blame. Rather, it’s an opportunity for open dialogue to understand the challenges and identify solutions to help us better serve Nigerians.”
In his opening remarks, the Chairman of the House Committee on Renewable Energy, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, emphasised that the investigation aims to identify gaps in implementing renewable energy. The public hearing aims to foster transparency and accountability in the management of renewable energy resources, which are seen as crucial to addressing Nigeria’s long-standing electricity challenges.