As part of efforts to assess Nigeria’s energy needs and address them accordingly, the European Union (EU) is supporting the Federal Government to carry out the Nigeria Residential Sector Demand-Side Survey.
At least 5,400 households across the six geopolitical zones of the country will be surveyed in the exercise, aimed at helping the government to formulate and implement functional energy policies.
The survey, which will be conducted in the framework of the EU’s Global Gateway Initiative, is the brainchild of the EU and the International Energy Agency, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Power, the Energy Commission of Nigeria and National Bureau of Statistics. It is in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the broader aspirations of Nigeria, particularly the 8-point agenda of the current administration.
The survey is expected to generate accurate and comprehensive data on energy consumption and demand across the country, including the rural and hard-to-reach areas, towards ensuring unhindered access to energy to power industries, fuel transportation, and illuminate homes.
At the official launch of the Nigeria Residential Sector Demand-Side Survey in Abuja, the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, assured Nigerians and development partners, including the private sector, of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration’s commitment to giving reliable, uninterrupted, stable, and functional electricity to households, businesses, and to industries.
He stressed that the provision of reliable energy to the citizens remains the only way to realise the potential of the abundance of human and natural resources in the country.
“We have concluded the diagnosis and have passed that stage. We know what the problem is with the power sector, we know the obstacles and hindrances,” he said.
Noting that Nigeria’s energy sector diagnosis had been concluded with the obstacles and hindrances identified, Adelabu assured that all the problems along the implementation lines would be crushed. He noted that financing was one of the key issues, and stressed the need to adequately fund generation, transmission, and distribution, and ensure that all consumers are properly metered.
According to him, “This is the only way that we can actually guarantee liquidity into the sector. And these funds cannot be provided by the Federal Government alone. We need all levels of government from the federal to the states, and the local government, most especially the private sector investors, both locally and offshore.”
He commended the EU, the World Bank, the African Development Bank (ADB) and Agence Française de Développement (AFD) for partnering with Nigeria to address the myriad of problems in the sector, adding that more was still required.
“Like Oliver Twist, we’re asking for more. They need to invest more in this country. Nigeria has over 200 million people. So we are still scratching the surface. The entire world would also know when we actually achieve our full potential. This is achievable only with reliable electricity,” he said.
In his remarks, the EU Deputy Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Zissimos Vergos, said the survey would contribute towards addressing Nigeria’s energy problems. “The importance of this survey is to go out there, take a transparent stock of the situation, inform the policy makers about the needs which everybody knows are enormous. This way, appropriate solutions can be found from its different location.
He noted that accurate data was necessary to drive investment in the energy sector, pointing out that “what is also important is that anybody that wants to invest, it doesn’t matter if it is a big investor or small investor, or a household, they need data in order to calculate the type of investment suitable for its needs.”
According to him, the exercise goes beyond conducting a survey. He said: “It is about profiling the energy needs of the country, and trying to connect public and private sectors, and the society, in identifying solutions that can take them out of a dead end. Although we are talking about energy, eventually, this has to do with poverty alleviation, empowerment of citizens, and political inclusion.”
Addressing journalists later, the Statistician General of Federation and head of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, explained that the final report of the survey would be expected by April this year: “The survey will be conducted by visiting selected households across the six geopolitical zones. We have selected 5,400 households. Enumerators and our field staff will be visiting the households to interview them using what we call the computer assisted personal interview devices.
In her goodwill message, the Deputy Executive Director, International Energy Agency (IEA), Ms. Mary Warlick, said the agency was delighted to partner with Nigeria in the survey. “As an Agency with energy data and analysis at its core, the IEA is very key to supporting Nigeria with capacity building and energy statistics through the Energy Sub-Saharan African programme.’’
She said the event demonstrated the important role energy data plays in supporting energy policy design, adding that “the development of more accurate and real-time statistics in Nigeria, together with the strengthening of energy models for planning purposes, presents a real win for all involved.’’
