Nigeria, Africa’s giant, has abundant resources with a promising potential for a thriving economy; however, it still lurches in extreme energy poverty. Approximately 47 per cent of Nigerians live in the dark, with the most significant percentage living in rural areas, suffering energy deficit. The World Bank states that over 90 million Nigerians lack access to energy, and many, particularly in rural communities, are not even connected to the grid.
Energy deprivation affects individual households and hinders broader socio-economic development and quality of life in these underserved regions. With 218.54 million people in the country, about 24 per cent are not supplied with electricity. At the same time, 76 per cent do not have access to it. An illustrative instance is the village of Unguwar Dogo in Katsina. With about 2,000 households, it remains unconnected to the electricity grid. The residents must travel to another community to power up their phones, which takes around 40 minutes.
Poor planning leads to a lack of standard infrastructural development, negatively impacting rural areas. The absence of a well-developed plan results in inadequate power generation, transmission and distribution to remote locations. Ineffective planning can displace the unique challenges in rural areas. In addition, setting up rural electricity infrastructures can be expensive and requires adequate human resource capital.
Furthermore, a lack of political will also contribute to constant energy poverty in rural areas. It could be a lack of prioritization and allocation of resources for rural electrification projects. Misuse of resources allocated for rural electrification projects leads to delays, inefficiencies, and failure to address community energy needs.
According to Abubakar, John and Misra, Sanjay in the Renewable Energy in Rural Economy paper, all these factors impeding electrification can be addressed with good policy making. Tackling the lack of energy in rural regions requires improved planning that considers the unique challenges in these regions. It also requires enhanced public-private partnerships as well as community engagements and empowerment.
In conclusion, Nigeria’s energy poverty problem needs urgent attention and a comprehensive solution. Inaccessibility to reliable and affordable energy hampers economic growth and living standards. Closing this energy gap requires collaborative efforts between governments. The private sector and international organizations should invest in renewable energy sources, improve infrastructure and implement sustainable policies. By prioritizing equitable access to energy, Nigeria can pave the way to a better and more prosperous future. Thereby transforming lives and promoting inclusive development across the country.