By George George Idowu
The Director General, Nigeria Country Office, African Development Bank (AfDB), Mr. Lamin Barrow has said that the effects of climate change being faced by Nigeria made it inevitable for the country to embrace energy transition.
He called on the Nigerian Government to rise up and play the crucial role expected of the country in leading climate action and energy transition to set a worthy example to emulate by other countries across Africa.
Barrow disclosed this on Tuesday during his lecture at the 3rd Anniversary Lecture and Award Presentation of NatureNews at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.
He highlighted projections indicating that by 2050, Africa could produce 30 to 60 million tonnes per annum of green hydrogen, positioning the continent as a global hub for low-cost renewable electricity.
He, however, underscores the potentials for Nigeria to harness emerging renewable energy technologies like the Green Hydrogen for a sustainable environment.
According to Barrow, Africa is emerging as a potential major hub for cost-competitive green hydrogen production. With the continent’s abundant space, easy access to key trading routes, plentiful renewable energy resources, and growing government support, Africa is well positioned to become a global source of low-cost renewable electricity derived hydrogen.
He, however, noted that such a significant amount of green hydrogen production will require robust investments, ranging from US$680 billion to US$1,300 billion.
He said that Nigeria’s energy sector holds the highest potential to reduce GHG emissions and meet the Nationally Determined Contributions.
His words “In 2019, over 70% of Nigeria’s total CO2 emissions came from the industrial sector. Major contributors to these pollutants come from the oil and gas industries, manufacturing, and transportation. Nigeria is a major industrial producer and a large chemical exporter and has the second-largest vehicle stock in Sub-Saharan Africa, hence the need to take climate and energy transition very seriously.
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Barrow also said unless Nigeria’s emissions intensity reduces, GHG emissions from both industry and transport are projected to increase as Nigeria experiences 7% economic growth.
He also highlighted how climate change has affected every part of the economy in the past years and the need for Nigeria to take it very seriously saying “We are seeing the impacts of climate change in Nigeria across the entire economy.
“We see its impacts on declining agricultural production, water supplies, and in the coastal areas. We feel the rising temperatures; notice the more frequent and extreme heat waves, droughts, and floods.”
He went further to highlight how Nigeria is susceptible to flooding because of where the country finds itself.
“Nigeria’s topography and location at the confluence of two major rivers (River Niger and River Benue) make it susceptible to flooding.
“We will recall the devastating floods in 2012 and 2022. These were two of the country’s worst flood events, during which thousands lost their lives and millions of people were displaced. Damage to infrastructure and farmlands was estimated at several billions of Naira.
“UNICEF reported that the 2022 floods that severely impacted 34 states, affected 3.4 million people, displaced 1.4 million and caused 612 deaths,” he said.
The DG said, Nigeria can simultaneously meet its climate objectives, promote industrial competitiveness, and enhance energy security by diversifying its energy mix with renewable.
“According to the International Energy Agency, 80% of Nigeria’s power generation comes from gas; the remainder comes from oil, with Nigeria the largest user of oil-fired backup generations on the continent.
“To fulfil the energy needs of its vast population, the International Energy Agency estimates that investment in renewables must increase by 165% by 2040.”
Barrow stressed the urgency for Nigeria to prioritize climate action and energy transition to mitigate the impacts of climate change, promote industrial competitiveness, and enhance energy security.
