Abuja — National Coordinator, Council of Renewable Energy in Nigeria, Mr Odigha Odiagha, has predicted that exploitation of the country's renewable energy potential could create avenues for the employment of about 500,000 job seekers in the next 10 years.
Odigha, in a statement yesterday, described the development of Nigeria's renewable energy sector as a major strategy that would not only conserve the nation's oil reserves, but would also develop the economy and improve the populace.
"Developing, manufacturing, building, installing, and maintaining renewable energy technologies has the potential to create many new Nigerian-lead jobs and powerful modern industries.
"This will serve to empower entrepreneurs and companies to help build a vibrant and diverse economy. It is also a wise economic choice for the long term, as fossil fuel deplete, Nigeria will have diverse, dependable energy sources and be able to strategically benefit from our oil resources," he said.
Odigha said renewable energy is part of the solution to conserving far more resources than just oil.
He said 50 per cent of Nigeria's current energy consumption is from wood-generated fuel, adding that its replacement "will ease the burden on the health and time of Nigeria's women and children, conserve forests and contribute to cleaner and better environment for Nigerians to live in."
The energy development expert said apart from the potential to generate about 500,000 jobs in the next 10 years, exploiting energy from renewable sources like solar, wind and hydro-dams can contribute to a stronger economy, and in addressing the estimated $1billion a year, which Nigerian businesses lose due to an unstable power supply.
According to him, a developed renewable energy sector would also engender a healthier, cleaner nation, which would be powered by energy from inexhaustible sources.
Renewable energy technologies utilise energy from small-scale hydro, wind, solar, geo-thermal, biomass, biogas, and biofuels which Nigeria has in abundance.
Odiagha described the country's Renewable Energy Master-plan (REMP), as an ambitious but achievable commitment to the development of all major renewable energy resources, which included short, medium and long term targets, planned activities and milestones and strategies for implementation of this comprehensive renewable energy development strategy.
He said successful implementation would result in the installation of 2,945 mega watts of wind, solar PV, solar thermal, small hydro and biomass by 2025, roughly an equivalent to the entire capacity used in Nigeria today.
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Odiagha said renewable energy technologies are unique, and do not have to be connected to a large grid, thus can be cost-effective choices for expedient rural electrification.
"Not only do they provide clean, stable means of energy generation, the large scale implementation of renewable energy makes economic sense for Nigeria both in the short term and the long term, he said.
Odiagha, however, said achievement of the goals would require cooperation of government, private and civil society bodies.
