Nigeria's Energy Challenge and Power Development: The Way Forward

Abstract

The ever increasing demand and meager supply of energy in Nigeria has been a great challenge to her development. This situation is becoming critical, with increasing population not balanced by an adequate energy development programme. The incessant power generation failure has grossly affected the economy, seriously slowing down development in rural and sub-rural settlements, with present energy policy mainly benefiting urban dwellers. Globally, energy projections stipulate that between 2002 and 2025, global energy needs may rise by over 34%, with that of developing nations doubling this percentage. A robust solution must be found to end the nation's energy crises. This Viewpoint compares the energy potential of Nigeria with the challenges faced. Nigeria receives a huge amount of solar radiation, has abundant wind energy resources, and large deposits of fossil fuel, as well as enormous hydro-power resources from Niger and Benue Rivers. However, of these about 80% of hydro-power remains untapped, the total 5.5KW-hr/m 2 /day of solar radiation is not utilized and wind energy resources remain unexploited. The solution lies in creating a mixed supply of energy in which as yet untapped renewable resources are combined with abundant non-renewable fossil fuel, including the massive quantities of gas wasted from crude oil exploitation.