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DG-ECN says  50 per cent of African population have no access to electricity

By Agency Reporter

Prof Eli Bala, the Director General, Energy Centre of Nigeria (ECN) says over 50 per cent of African population have no access to electricity according to recent data by United Nations.

Bala said this in Nsukka on Thursday during the 5th International Conference and workshop for Energy Sustainable Development in Africa held at National Centre for Energy Research and Development, (NCERD), University of Nigeria Nsukka, (UNN) with the  theme ; "Sustainable Energy: The Solution To Post Covid-19 Energy Crisis in Africa."

He said the consequences of this depravations had manifested in increase health, scio-economic and environmental problems  and poor electricity supply among others.

According to him "Africa even before the COVID-19 outbreak was the most energy-poor region in the world.

"The most recent data by the United Nations shows that over 50 per cent of the continent's population have no access to electricity.

"The consequence of such derivation are immense and are manifested in increased health, socioe-conomic and environmental problems," he said.

The DG said further that it was globally entrenched that sustainable energy should ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern forms of energy for all.

"Post pandemic requires that Africa should develop its huge potential of renewable energy such as solar and wind energy sources to enhance investment, national development, technology transfer, " he said

Bala, however assured that the commission would continue to set the pace in strategic planning and coordination of national policies in the field of energy.

He said the centre would liaise and collaborate with international organizations for sustainable energy development in Nigeria and Africa.

ln a remake Prof  Charles Igwe, the Vice Chancellor of UNN while flagging off the workshop said that the impact of COVID-19 pandemic was felt by all, adding that both students and staff of various institutions were forced out of classes.

"The impact of COVID-19 pandemic is  felt by all and sundry. The academic community is not exempted either, as both students and the staff of various institutions were forced out of physical classes

"And compelled us to device non-contact means of continuing academic activities, mostly online.

"Africa is  blessed with all forms of renewable energy, yet Africa  trails far behind in the race for transition to clean energy and net-zero carbon emissions effect,"he said.

The VC who was represent by Prof Johnson Urama deputy VC Academic commended the NCERD for the workshop and the wonderful relationship that exists between UNN and the commission.

In his welcome address, Mr Izuchukwu Okafor, Acting Director, NCERD in UNN said that, energy was  fundamental to all human activities and inadequate supply of energy restricts socio-economic activities, hampers any meaningful development

"The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the sustainable energy solutions in Africa and therefore calls for drastic measures in addressing the issues of achieving the affordable, reliable and cleaner energy for all in the year 2030.

"There is no doubt that renewable and alternative energy technologies have very critical role to plays towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

"Thus, investing extensively on the renewable and alternative energy technologies in Nigeria and Africa in general will certainly go a long way in solving the energy crises in Africa and motivate economic,"he said.

Earlier, Prof Abubakar Sambo, ex-DG of ECN  who was the chairman of the occasion, in remark virtually identified the main  challenges of energy sector in Africa to include: inadqute infrastructure, funding and bad governance as result of corruption.

Sambo said unless these obstacles were overcome in African majority of people living in the continent would continue to have no access to electricity.
(NAN)