Nigeria: Renewables

This piece is angled from the position that platforms for cooperation & collaboration already exist for resilience sustainability in facing climate challenges for Africa. The mission is therefore to highlight some hidden pillars that need three “As”- Activation, Advocacy and Action.

Nigeria’s electricity sector has remained the subject of persistent debate, reform efforts, and unfulfilled promises. Successive administrations since the 1990s have pledged comprehensive transformation of the industry. While some achieved limited structural reforms, many produced little beyond policy papers and committees. The consequence has been a power sector that continues to underperform, with Nigeria generating less electricity per capita than several of its African counterparts.

The Nigerian Electricity Act 2023 (EA 2023) made mini-grids one of the cornerstones of Nigeria's power sector reform. It, through the licensing mechanism, moved mini-grids from being a niche "rural electrification" tool into a full commercial electricity sub-sector.