Experts in the energy sector have called for a fair and just energy transition, given the development needs of African countries.

The experts, who spoke at the 15th National Conference of the Nigerian Association of Energy Economics (NAEE) with the theme, ‘Energy transition and climate change policy: Pathway for sustainable development in Africa’ on Monday in Abuja, stressed there must be flexibility in the push to attain net zero carbon globally because of developmental needs of countries, especially in Africa.

The Chairman, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Osagie Okunbor, had noted that with 17 per cent of the world’s population in Africa, carbon emission from the continent represents just three percent of global emission, adding that Africa was in a peculiar situation with about 52 per cent of its population without access to basic electricity.

He said: “We need to carefully balance the need to achieve global net zero goals and closing the energy gap in the African continent. A just transition is at a fundamental level, one that balances the equally important objectives of economic development and growth, energy security, access, and environmental sustainability.”

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NAEE President, Prof. Yinka Omoregbe, who revealed that each individual needs about 25MW of electricity annually to have a good and healthy lifestyle, however, lamented the huge energy access gap in Nigeria, with consumption rate far below global average.

She said: “Nigeria with 200 million people has a total installed capacity of 13,000MW. It means only 632.4 people can have good and healthy lives based on the energy that we produce.

“This is not just hopelessly deficient, a new English word has to be invented to describe the deficiency for 200 million people.”

On his part, the Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Bello Gusau, maintained the Fund’s commitment to realigning its programme to focus on building capacity to implement the ultimate transition from oil to gas.

Represented by PTDF General Manager, Strategy Planning and Documentation, Mr. Jide Adebulehin, he said Nigeria was prepared to move into gas development as its transition fuel.

The Star