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Nigerian access-to-power

rates remain poor

NIGERIA JUST 57% of Nigerians, or 110.7mn out of the International Energy Agency (IEA), World
195.8mn people, had access to electricity as of Bank, Word Health Organisation (WHO) and
2018, the UN has found. other relevant agencies.
This compares with a global average of 90%, The report also captures a huge increase in
although the numbers do represent progress on the number of Nigerians with access to clean
the 76.1mn people recorded in 2010. cooking fuels and technologies between 2010
However, the country’s population growth and 2018.
means that the number of people without access As of 2018, 20.5mn people, or 10% of the pop-
to power, a key development index, has actually ulation, had access to clean cooking energy, up
risen from 82.4mn people in 2010 to 85.2mn in from just 2.7mn people in 2010.
2018. But many Nigerians remained behind on this
Put simply, the country’s power systems have score, with 175.4mn citizens lacking access to
failed to keep pace with demographic and eco- clean cooking energy sources in 2018 as against
nomic growth. 155.8mn people in 2010.
In Nigeria, the report shows that renewables This also means that the country missed out
accounted for 83% of the total energy consumed on the global decline in the number of people
by its citizens in 2017. without access to clean cooking energy sources
But there was a decline in the renewables to from 3bn in 2010 to 2.8bn in 2018.
total energy ratio in the country from 86.9% in However, the report reflects an improve-
2010 to the 83% recorded in 2017. ment in the country’s energy efficiency by 6.4%
Titled “Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress between 2015 and 2017, higher than the global
Report’’, the document is published annually by average of 5%.
custodian agencies of Sustainable Development On financing, the document indicates that
Goal (SDG) 7, which targets energy access for all. Nigeria received a total of $5bn from abroad in
It provides the most comprehensive availa- support of its renewable energy efforts.
ble look at the world’s progress towards global This included funds from the country’s inter-
energy targets on access to electricity, clean national development partners under public
cooking, renewable energy and energy efficiency. private partnership (PPP) arrangement on
It is produced by the International Renewable renewable energy projects.™
Energy Agency (IRENA) in collaboration with

P8 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 23 11•June•2020