By Princess-Ekwi Ajide, Abuja
The need for access to renewable energy by the year 2030 in the African continent prompted the ECOWAS Heads of State to adopt sustainable energy policies and many actions are being carried out in the ECOWAS region to achieve the objectives of the policy.
The implementing agency, the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, ECREEE, is to hold its 7th ECOWAS Sustainable Energy Forum in Abuja, in October, to discuss challenges and solutions to the energy problems of the continent by informing and sensitizing stakeholders about the progress made by ECOWAS by highlighting the role of member states.
Intimating journalists about the October event, the Executive Director, ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, ECREEE, Francis Simpore, said, it is clear that the challenges to be surmounted to ensure everyone has access to energy by 2030 are still very significant hence the need to accelerate the achievement of the objectives set by the Heads of State for access to energy in 2030, within the framework.
He noted that ECREEE as a specialized Center of ECOWAS for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency established the international conference ESEF, since 2016 to tackle problems hindering access to energy especially given the context marked by COVID-19, insecurity, climate change, emergence of new technologies and opportunities.
ECREEE’s Energy Policy Analyst, Hyacinth Elayo, on his part, disclosed fifty percent of the population do not still have access to energy hence the need to address the problem frontally.
He said the programme will address the immediate and long term concerns of access to energy, and energy enablers, saying that the overall vision of ESEF is to ensure that efforts of member states and private sector together to get deals are realized and also get projects already on ground are achieved.
The energy policy analyst, said, there will be exhibitions at the programme to enable companies showcase their products especially as they have a strong belief in the potential of the private sector.
According to the Acting Director, Renewable and Rural Power Access Department, Federal Ministry of Power, Engr. Abubakar Ali-Dapshima, a lot of benefits abound for local developers in Nigeria as the host of the forum especially as it has a renewable power and access policy since 2016.
He said it would enable local developers key into global market, mitigate climate change and that there are plans to produce 30 Megawats in Nigeria by the year 2030 which will have multiplier effect on the economy and create enabling environment for doing business.
