The power currently generated in Nigeria is inadequate and unstable, forcing a large portion of the industry, businesses and households to rely on diesel and petrol generators as primary or back up source of electricity, which can be expensive and a source of noise and air pollutions. More also, a large part of the energy generated is wasted due to wasteful behaviour and the use of obsolete technologies. The absence of a comprehensive policy and insufficient awareness of energy efficiency has been identified as key barriers to the development of energy efficiency in Nigeria.
It’s against this background that the UNDP with support from GEF and working in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Energy Commission of Nigeria and the National Centre for Energy Efficiency and Conservation convened the second National Energy Efficiency Summit
the Objective: to create awareness on the importance and gains of energy efficiency in meeting national development and environmental sustainability; and to integrate energy efficiency into national policy, strategies and programmes towards achieving the goals of vision 20-20-20 of the Nigerian Government.
The summit featured paper presentations from energy experts across the ECOWAS region, the presentation of the draft National Energy Efficiency Policy, the presentation of the Energy Efficiency Project Training Manual, the preliminary report of the End-use Monitoring Study across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria and the draft Report of the Appliance Inventory Study and Training for selected stakeholders such as importers, Nigerian Society of Engineers, Religious leaders and Nigerian Institutes of Architects. Opportunites was also created for organisations to exhibit their energy efficiency products and initiatives.
The summit had in attendance over 150 people drawn from various sectors of the society that included: the Executive Governor of Abia State, represented by Barr. Charles Nwatoi, Commissioner of Energy, the Energy Commission Chair represented by Dr. Mrs Roselyne Keller, UNDP Deputy Country Director John Thomas Hans and Dr. Jason Yapp, International Technical Adviser, UNDP GEF EE Programme, Nigeria. Others are Mrs Olabisi Jaji, GEF Operational Focal Point, Benjamin Ogbalor, CEO Everlink Source Ltd., Engr. Richard Adewunmi, SON, Prof. Kingsley O. Ologe, John Davidson Associates, Engr. Ohunaakin S. Olayinka, Covenant University, Enerst Asari, President Energy Foundation, Ghana, Etiosa Uyigue, National Project Coordinator, UNDP- GEF EE Programme and Dr. Uyi Ojo, Programme Director, Environmental Rights Action, Nigeria.