European Union Launches €9m Energy Projects in Nigeria

The European Union has introduced two new projects worth €9m in Nigeria’s energy sector, in continuation of its commitment to supporting the Federal Government in providing clean, affordable and sustainable energy for all.

The EU disclosed this in Abuja, today, during the project inception workshop organised in partnership with the Federal Government and United Nations Industrial Development Organisation.

Nigeria, with a population of over 200 million, had an electricity consumption per capita of 147 kilowatt-hours in 2022, while South Africa with a population of over 60 million boasted of electricity consumption per capita of 3,566 kilowatt-hours during the same period, according to the World Bank.

According to the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, the country’s average per hour data stood at 3,689.700 MWh in September 2023 as it continues to struggle with low power generation and poor distribution infrastructure.

It is against this backdrop that, the partnership has been developed to address the poor energy situation in the country.

The projects – Small Hydro Power Development for Agro-industry Use in Nigeria and Advancing Nigeria’s Green and Just Transition to Net Zero through Circular Economy Practices – aim to enhance energy accessibility and promote circular economy practices to address pollution and climate change.

While the SHP-DAIN is a three-year project with a budget of €5 million, Advancing Nigeria’s Green Transition to Net Zero through Circular Economy Practices is also a three-year project with a budget of €4m.

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization will implement both projects.

Both projects are part of the EU Global Gateway Strategy, a transformative initiative to enhance connectivity, foster economic growth, and promote sustainability through collaboration.

These projects push Nigeria closer to its earnest aspiration to transition towards a more sustainable and environmentally responsible future, especially de-carbonizing its economy and working towards achieving a transition to net zero emissions by 2060.

Speaking during the official launch of the projects in Abuja, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms Samuela Isopi, explained that the roject would increase the capacity of small hydropower in Nigeria’s total energy mix to promote productivity along the agricultural value chains and other businesses, enhance livelihoods, and promote food security and decent work.