Sylva Reveals How Nigeria Can Drive Economic Growth, Eliminate Energy Poverty

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, has revealed how Nigeria can drive sustainable economic growth and eliminate widespread energy poverty.

Speaking at the Nigeria-Africa Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit in Abuja, Sylva said Nigeria can drive economic growth by getting affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy resources.

The minister said energy poverty is still prevalent in the world, especially in Africa where millions of people do not have access to electricity or clean cooking fuels.

Quoting data from the United Nations, he said that about 760 million people lack access to electricity worldwide, with three out of four of them living in sub-Saharan Africa.

He added that one-third of the world’s population (about 2.6 billion people) had no access to clean cooking fuels, with over 900 million of these in sub-Saharan Africa.

He also said that only 48 per cent of the Sub-Saharan African population have access to electricity, while only 18 per cent also have access to clean cooking fuels, compared with a global average of 90 per cent and 70 per cent respectively.

The Chief Executive Officer of JRB Solar Investment Limited, Jimoh Badamosi, stressed the need for partnership between state-owned enterprises and private organisations in renewable energy development to address Africa’s energy crisis.