The Federal Government, has declared that the number of Nigerians that lack access to electricity from the national grid has increased to about 92 million.
It disclosed this at the closing ceremony of the 7th Nigeria International Energy Summit in Abuja, as operators in the power sector called for partnerships in the deployment of solar power to bridge the country’s electricity gap.
Nigeria generates and supplies between 3,000 and 4,000 megawatts of grid electricity to over 200 million citizens across the country, a development described as abysmally poor by experts and industry players.
Speaking at the summit, the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, stated that though adequate access to energy by citizens had been a challenge globally, more than 40 per cent of people in Nigeria were currently affected.
“Access to electricity is undeniably a fundamental requirement for socio-economic development and it is a pleasure to see so many dedicated individuals and experts gathered here in this hall to discuss strategies and solutions for bridging energy access gas.
In recent years, significant progress has been made globally in improving access to electricity. However, a substantial portion of the world population still face challenges in obtaining reliable and affordable electricity.
“Here in Nigeria it is estimated that a whopping 92 million people are still suffering from energy poverty, which is over 40 per cent of our estimated population,” the minister stated.
He called for cooperation by stakeholders to tackle the challenge, as the government alone would not be able to handle the situation.
“It is our collective responsibility to address this issue, as it has far reaching implications for poverty alleviation, healthcare, education and overall improvement in the quality of lives including the reduction of youth unemployment in our society,” Adelabu stated.
The minister pointed out that electricity from the national grid may not get to every remote area, adding that such locations could be served with power from renewable energy sources.
