UN Aims to Strengthen Nigeria’s Alternative Energy Program with N 320 million Injection

THE United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has deposited $2 million with the Bank of Industry, to encourage even private participation and local industries working on renewable energy projects.

The United Nations Resident Coordinator, Daouda Toure, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja, yesterday.

Toure, who is also the UNDP Resident Representative, said that beside renewable energy, the agency was also looking at other sources, such as biomass and solar energy.

“We are not only looking at renewable energy but at all the potential we have in Africa, be it in terms of biomass, solar energy, there is a huge potential that is still very much in tab.

“Energy efficiency programme is an important programme to all of us and making use of energy efficiently will allow more coverage with what we already have,” he said.

According to him, the main objective of the project is to improve the energy efficiency of end-use equipment used in residential and public buildings in Nigeria, which include refrigeration appliances, air conditioners, lighting, electric motors, fans, among others.

Toure said that the aim of project would be to strengthen the supervisory and recognised framework to promote energy efficiency.

He explained that the project would go a long way in developing monitoring and enforcement devices, adding that UNDP would mount a sensitisation campaign to promote energy efficiency in Nigeria.

The UN official noted that the activities to achieve the objectives were aimed at enhancing the abilities of stakeholders to exploit the potential of energy efficiency.

He also disclosed that a pilot project would be conducted where one million compact fluorescent lamps would be distributed to residential and public buildings in Nigeria.

The project will assist the government of Nigeria to put in place comprehensive energy efficiency policy and legislation.

Toure said the agency would also help to minimise the building of power stations and save money for investment in other sectors.

“This will consequently help in mitigating the emission of greenhouse gases resulting from generating energy. It will also help to increase Nigerians’ access to electricity,” he said.