• Nigeria launches NCREEIC to drive renewable energy and innovation
• Country lags in renewables with 3,079 MW vs South Africa’s 13,516
• New body aims to boost access, investment, and regulatory clarity

The Energy Commission Of Nigeria (ECN), in collaboration with the Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology, launched the National Committee on Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Innovation & Certification (NCREEIC) on Friday, August 29. The new body is tasked with promoting research, local innovation, standardization, and certification of clean technologies while fostering collaboration among public, private, and academic sectors.

According to the World Bank, only 61.2% of Nigerians have access to electricity, with the figure dropping to just 32.9% in rural areas. This makes Nigeria home to the world’s largest unelectrified population. Despite this, the country lags behind other African nations in installed renewable energy capacity, with only 3,079 MW. This contrasts sharply with South Africa’s 13,516 MW, Egypt’s 7,752 MW, and Morocco’s 4,659 MW, a gap attributed to a lack of large-scale projects and clear strategies to attract investors.

While fragmented initiatives exist, they have had limited success. The Rural Electrification Agency oversees decentralized programs, and the World Bank-funded DARES project aims to provide electricity to 17.5 million Nigerians with a $750 million investment.

The National Energy Compact, published under the Mission300 initiative, sets ambitious targets: to increase electricity access at an annual growth rate of 9%, achieve 100% access to clean cooking, and double the share of renewables in the energy mix from 22% to 50% by 2030. These goals require an estimated $15.5 billion in private investment.

The NCREEIC could be the tool Nigeria needs to turn these ambitions into reality. Its success, however, will depend on whether it can transform announcements into concrete projects and provide the regulatory clarity that has benefited other African nations.

Abdoullah Diop