Industry experts, business leaders and key decision-makers in the energy and waste management sectors have advocated a new strategy to transition Nigeria to clean or renewable energy.
They said the transition would present huge opportunities for Nigerian businesses, boost supply and reduce the huge energy deficit. The experts spoke at the sixth edition of Concrete Ideas stakeholder’s conference organised by Lafarge Africa Plc in Lagos.
Setting tone for the workshop, Chairman, Lafarge Africa Plc., Prince Adebode Adefioye, expressed the need to stimulate the economy, create incentives for investors in clean energy and for the people, as well as businesses, to enable them to embrace the use of clean energy products and technologies.
He said: “It allows Nigeria not only to boost its energy supply and create new high-value jobs, but also to reduce carbon emissions and save our planet. The goal is to stimulate ideas, even to involve the banks and broader financial sector in creating innovative technologies, as well as financial products that allow us to generate, use energy more effectively and productively.”
They spoke in the panel session themed, “The Business of Clean Energy: Opportunities for Industries and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs),” where submissions was made by the Acting Director General of, Energy Commission of Nigeria, Joseph Olayande, represented by Director of Energy Management, Energy Commission of Nigeria, Mr. Ibrahim Sulu; Managing Director Savannah Energy, Mr. Olapade Durotoye and Chief Executive Officer, Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria, Mr. Ayo Ademilua.
The experts also highlighted the need for adequate access to energy by hundreds of millions of Nigerians and tackle challenges affecting the adoption of clean energy.
They also shared insights on the strategic choices operators, investors, regulators and government have to make to achieve the desired goals.
They agreed to harness the many advantages that clean energy offers, as the government and all other stakeholders in the energy sector must take to combat problems militating against the mass adoption and use of renewable energy in the country.
They said Nigeria is a more attractive destination for global energy investment, which will allow it to fund the transition towards lower carbon sources of energy such as wind, water, sun and biomass.
Other experts that spoke on “Promoting Circular Economy through Sustainable Waste Management Practices,” listed challenges facing the waste sector, potential of waste as a clean energy source and steps towards promoting a circular economy to reduce waste generation.
The experts are immediate past Commissioner for Environment, Ogun State, Mr. Ola Oresanya; MD/CEO, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe; Managing Director, Lagos State Waste Management Authority, Mr. Ibrahim Odunboni, who was represented by Director of Sustainability, Dr. Essien Nsuabia, MD/CEO of Nestle Nigeria Plc, Mr. Wassim Elhusseini; represented by Mrs. Ndidi Amaka Uwadoka, and a retired Professor of Chemistry from the University of Lagos, Prof. Babajide Alo.
They said promoting a circular economy, reducing waste generation would encourage and promote responsible consumption among the citizens.
The experts also advocated a circular economy to avoid an ever-worsening impact of waste in the country.
They further agreed that stakeholders in the value chain must play their part optimally as weak adoption of circular economy choices by any group of stakeholders would affect the system.
Head of Geocycle, Lafarge Africa, Daniel Adedokun, said Geocycle is about pre-processed, co-processes of non-recyclable waste into a safe and usable resource with no residue.
Oresanya commended Lafarge for taking the lead in the circular economy through its geocycle operations. He said: “Geocycle, a Lafarge subsidiary, works with manufacturers to collect waste such as non-recyclables and other hazardous wastes to co-process them in its cement kiln.”
