Ndubuisi Ugah With Agency Reports
7 January 2007
Lagos — Efforts aimed at scaling-up Nigeria energy mix profile gathered momentum with the auditing of the draft policy on Renewable Energy Master Plan (REMP) by experts and stakeholders.
Addressing the stakeholders in Abuja, the Director General, Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), Prof. Abubakar Sambo, said the meeting would generate ideas to ensure that the policy met the country's energy demand. Sambo said the master plan being articulated would also ensure that the country met its energy demand and supply.
He said the master plan would fast track Nigeria's socio-economic development and enable the country generate energy from sectors hitherto neglected.
He said the pressing concern in the development of renewable energy in Nigeria was the absence of a framework for power sales from small-scale renewable energy producers to the national grid.
"Nigeria lacks a strong institutional leadership for renewable energy, a redesign of the institutional framework leading to the emergency of clear cut policy is necessary for the country", he said.
Sambo said the commission had started mapping out strategies for building capacities in four critical areas including training of manpower to install, operate and maintain renewable energy systems and the development of manufacturing capabilities.
Other areas, he said, were the development of critical mass of scientists, engineers, economists for research and development and design and effective functioning of institutional framework.
He urged the participants to create awareness that would generate ideas as well as correct distortions that would result in higher risk perception for potential energy projects.
Earlier, the ECOWAS director, Infrastructure and Industry, Mr David Kamara, had called on Nigeria to broaden the master plan to incorporate the ECOWAS sub-region, stressing that Nigeria was
central to the economic development of the region.
He said the region's development had been retarded due to "stand-alone" technology initiatives that did not benefit countries within the region.
"If the Nigeria Renewable Master Plan is to enlarge and accommodate other countries within the region it will become more attractive and of advantage for ECOWAS", he added.
The REMP which was initiated in 1993 gave birth to a draft policy submitted to the Federal Government in 2005 and would be funded by the UNDP.
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