By Kelvin Chiguyaru Amadi

OVERVIEW

The Energy Sector is a huge industry that plays a major role in all facet of our endeavors. This is illustrated as follows. Mr. Emeka arrives home from the office frustrated. While he was at the office, he had electricity supplied to him by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, but unfortunately there was a national grid collapse which required Mr. Emeka to turn on his power generating set at the office to enable him continue working in a conducive environment and print documents through his printer for his clients. Mr. Emeka sent one of his staff to go and turn on his power generating set but after he came out to do as instructed, he realized that they are out on diesel and they couldn’t buy diesel because there is scarcity of the product in the country.

Mr. Emeka arrives home still frustrated and decides to checkup on his parents in the village, he calls them and they informed him that they were in the farm to harvest their cassava but unfortunately there was a crude oil spillage that occurred the night before which rumor has it that it was caused by vandalization of pipelines carrying crude oil to the refineries and it has polluted their land and plants.

The above illustration, sums up the importance of the energy sector in Nigeria and of course the world as it cuts across the residential and commercial, transport and agricultural segments of the economy. Nigeria is the most populated nation in Africa, the huge population in Nigeria underscores the necessity to have an improved and efficient energy sector because of the essential role of the energy sector to her economy and livelihood of Nigerians as can be seen from the illustration above.

An understanding of the legal and practical challenges facing the energy sector and the relevant approaches to adopt in the regulation of natural resources with a view to solving the teething challenges is crucial to nipping in the bud most of our challenges.

BACKGROUND

The Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) established by Act of parliament in 1979 is saddled with the statutory mandate of planning strategically and coordinating national policies in the Energy Sector. The core vision of the ECN is to ensure adequate, reliable, cost-effective and sustainable energy supply for the nation’s economic and socio-political development.

An appraisal of the performance of the Energy Commission of Nigeria viz-a-viz her core vision leaves many Nigerians with goosebumps as it is clear from all indications that even though they are doing their best, they have a long way to go towards achieving their vision. This is because the Energy Sector plays the most vital role in the economic growth and development in Nigeria. It is crucial to emphasis that energy is an important factor in all the sectors of the economy in Nigeria as the standard of living can be directly related to per capital energy consumption.

It is most unfortunate that the energy sector crisis has contributed to the high indices of poverty in Nigeria by paralyzing so many commercial establishments. This many challenges bedeviling the Energy Sector in Nigeria can be adequately and effectively resolved with an efficient and effective national policy on energy.

The National Policy on Energy which would dwell more on the need to develop a renewable energy masterplan and other non or low carbon energy sources. This invariably means that we as a people would have to transition into renewable energy sources as operational in other parts of the World. The effect of this is that it will improve our economy and reduce the challenges we face as a people. To achieve this feat, we need to back up and enhance these new policies with Laws and regulations.

Sun and wind are two most effective and efficient renewable energy sources we can explore to improve our energy sector. While a lot has been said about Solar as it is now common in many homes and offices, little can be said concerning wind. Noteworthy is that the Solar which is seemingly common to Nigerians is not affordable. Nigeria is a blessed nation with vast opportunity for harvesting wind for electricity production, most particularly in the northern states where wind is always available.

The ECN can recommend these policies to Government so that the nation can look at ways of harnessing resources towards establishing wind farms in the various regions of Nigeria that can generate wind energy.

ENERGY SECTOR & DEVELOPMENT

As already stated, the role of the Energy Sector in the development of Nigeria cannot be overemphasized. It is not in doubt that Nigeria is Africa’s energy giant because it is the continent’s highest oil-producing country. Nigeria as a nation is blessed with so many natural resources and conventional energy sources. So many energy sources are available in Nigeria in abundant proportions even though it appears that we are only more particular about crude oil exploration which have led to a supply and demand gap as a result of the inadequate and inefficient development management of the energy sector.

The energy sector if well managed, it will have huge impact on the economy of the nation as there will be lots of jobs creation which will in turn improve the standard of living, improve security and eradicate poverty.

There is need for Government to invest resources in the development of renewable energy sources in Nigeria. This can be done through legislation as the benefits are enormous.

I recall my experience, I was in the FCT High Court in Kwali for a matter, the Court was sitting but there was no electricity supply and the Court room was very hot and uncomfortable. The presiding Judge had to give us leave to remove our wigs and gowns because of the hot and unconducive atmosphere, it got bad that the court had to rise.

Now this is an eye witness of how the energy sector affects the Judiciary, I have heard stories in Nigeria where people lost their lives because the generating set being used to power the hospital got bad during surgeries.

On these scores thereof, it is now clear that sustainable development will be achieved if we improve the energy sector to be effective and efficient as it affects all sectors of the economy and brings ease to life.

CONCLUSION

While it can be said that Nigeria is blessed with abundance of Energy Resources that can sustain the African Continent, the management of the energy sector to enhance sustainable development in Nigeria has made it impossible for Nigeria to effectively utilize and optimize the needed energy needed by Nigerians.

With the Electric power Sector reform Act, new institutions have been established and policies have been designed to help improved electricity supply in Nigeria. Going forward, it is imperative we put in the needed effort to turn the policies into realities.

We need to look inwardly and invest hugely in the Energy Sector to enable us bridge the gap and improve our economy.