An energy expert voiced alarm over Nigeria’s electricity scarcity, claiming that over 60% of Nigerians do not have access to electricity.

Former Vice Chancellor of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, Prof. Abubakar Sani Sambo, announced this during the Sokoto State University’s third public lecture yesterday.

“Harnessing Local Renewable Energy Sources: A Panacea for Tackling the Global Energy Crisis in the Twenty-First Century,” he said.

According to Sambo, the country’s energy industry is facing challenges as a result of inconsistency in policy formulation and implementation.

“You know in this country there is no sustainability of policy , when a new government comes into power it will abandon previous policies by his predecessors either good or bad and this does not augur well for us he stated,” he added.

While the impact of a lack of electricity can be felt by all, Sambo, who was also the former Director General of the National Energy Commission of Nigeria (NECON) and Vice Chancellor of Kaduna State University, added that no one suffers more than entrepreneurs because running a business on a generator is capital intensive.

He also bemoaned the fact that Nigeria was endowed with resources capable of generating power for its people.

He argued that solar and other renewable energy sources, where Nigeria has a competitive advantage, should be used to generate electricity.

“We explore our abundant solar energy to generate electricity like other developing and developed countries of the world,” he added.

He called on relevant stakeholders in the energy sector to look into alternative energy at the local, state and federal levels and at the same time encourage research activities based on Nigeria local resources and challenges.

He further stated that if energy researchers don’t rise up to the challenges, Nigeria would remain a purchaser or recipient of energy from foreign countries who he said Nigeria had comparative advantage over.

“As you all know Nigeria is endowed with abundant renewable energy resources,” he stated.

On his part, the chairman of event and Commissioner for Energy and Petroleum Resources, Sokoto State, Aliyu Balarabe Dandinmahe, said the theme of the lecture was apt and timely, stressing that the state government had generated four megawatts of electricity in addition to the one given to the state by the National grid.

He further disclosed that the state government would continue to collaborate with foreign partners to generate more power for it populace.

Earlier, the Vice Chancellor, Sokoto State University, Prof. Muhammad Sani Dangoggo, urged participants to listen attentively in order to benefit from the lecture.

Rtn. Victor Ojelabi

Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.