The Federal Government, on Friday, said about 92 million Nigerians do not have access to electricity from the national grid.
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, said this at the closing ceremony of the 7th Nigeria International Energy Summit in Abuja.
Experts and industry players at the event said it was not acceptable, the generation and supply of a meagre 3,000 to 4,000 megawatts of electricity to over 200 million citizens across the country.
The Minister explained that though adequate access to energy by citizens had been a challenge globally, about 40 per cent of people in Nigeria were currently not receiving power from the national grid.
He noted that access to electricity is undeniably a fundamental requirement for socio-economic development, saying it is a pleasure to see so many dedicated individuals and experts gathered in the hall to discuss strategies and solutions for bridging energy access gaps.
Adelabu explained that in recent years, significant progress has been made globally in improving access to electricity, stressing that a substantial portion of the world population still faces challenges in obtaining reliable and affordable electricity.
He added, “Here in Nigeria it is estimated that a whopping 92 million people are still suffering from energy poverty, which is over 40 per cent of our estimated population.”
He called for cooperation by stakeholders to tackle the challenge, as the government alone would not be able to handle the situation, adding that it is the collective responsibility to address the issue, as it has far-reaching implications for poverty alleviation, healthcare, education and overall improvement in the quality of lives including the reduction of youth unemployment in the society.
According to him, electricity from the national grid may not get to every remote area but such locations could be served with power from renewable energy sources.
He urged stakeholders to work together to bridge the energy access gap by ensuring that electricity becomes a reality for all, irrespective of geographical location or socio-economic status.
