By Bayo Wahab
The United Nations Development Programme has said that Nigeria loses more than N2 billion annually due to an inadequate and unreliable power supply.
Speaking at the ‘First National Legislative Conference and Expo on Renewable Energy’ in Lagos, the UNDP Resident Representative, Elsie Attafuah, decried Nigeria’s poor electricity supply.
She said, “Agricultural produce such as yam, fruits, and vegetables are being wasted as a result of poor power supply.”
Attafuah complained that the situation has worsened unemployment in the country.
According to her, the UNDP’s intervention in providing power-generating facilities to farmers in some northern states has already begun to yield positive results.
Also speaking at the event, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, stressed the need for Nigeria to transition to a renewable energy system.
“This conference marks a crucial step for the House of Representatives to engage in the global response to a critical challenge. We recognise that Nigeria and the global community must embrace a transformative shift towards sustainable energy systems,” Abbas said.
He said renewable energy was now a cornerstone of development, with 2024 recording 585 gigawatts of additional capacity worldwide—92 per cent of new power generation.
“For Nigeria, a country that relies heavily on fossil fuel exports for its earnings, this transition presents both challenges and opportunities,” he said.
The House of Representatives Speaker said Nigeria must diversify its economy and attract renewable energy investments to stay relevant and financially stable.
Vanguard News
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