LAGOS/Nigeria: Nigeria’s renewable energy sector needs a coordinated policy framework, stronger equipment standards and better preparation for climate financing if the country is to attract sustained investment and expand access to clean energy, an industry expert has said.
Dr Imamuddeen Talba, pioneer Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Associations Alliance (REEEA-A), made the call at the alliance’s fifth International Investment and Partnership Conference in Lagos.
Talba said the country’s renewable energy development was being hampered by policies spread across different ministries, departments and agencies without sufficient coordination.
He argued that the duplication of responsibilities and competing programmes had made implementation difficult and weakened accountability within the sector.
Talba called for the harmonisation of policies covering renewable energy, energy efficiency and climate change so that government institutions could operate within a clearly defined national framework.
He also raised concerns over the quality of renewable energy equipment entering the Nigerian market, particularly solar products, warning that substandard equipment could undermine public confidence and discourage investment.
According to him, imported equipment should undergo effective certification and quality checks before being allowed into the Nigerian market.
He recalled the involvement of the Ministries of Finance and Power, the Nigeria Customs Service and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria in efforts to address the issue, stressing the need for such coordination to produce tangible results.
Talba said poor-quality equipment could leave consumers disappointed when products expected to operate for many years fail after only a short period.
He further urged the government to develop a clear policy for dealing with obsolete renewable energy equipment, particularly used solar panels, to prevent the sector from creating new environmental challenges as it expands.
He said REEEA-A should work with relevant government agencies to develop appropriate systems for the collection, recycling and safe disposal of expired renewable energy equipment.
Beyond domestic policy, Talba said Nigeria needed to change the way it approaches international climate and energy negotiations.
He argued that the country should attend international conferences with clearly defined projects, reliable data and bankable investment proposals rather than returning with agreements that lack measurable implementation plans.
“We go to these meetings, sign memoranda of understanding and come back without deliverables,” he said.
Talba said comprehensive data would strengthen Nigeria’s ability to present credible projects to international financiers and compete more effectively for climate-related funding.
He pointed to South Africa’s ability to attract international support for its energy transition as an example of what Nigeria could achieve with stronger preparation, coordination and investment planning.
He also called for better data on Nigeria’s coastline to support long-term climate adaptation planning.
According to him, government agencies and industry stakeholders should work together to identify areas vulnerable to coastal impacts and assess the challenges likely to emerge over the next 10 to 20 years.
Such information, he said, would provide a stronger basis for planning infrastructure, adaptation projects and investment.
Talba also argued that Nigeria’s renewable energy strategy should go beyond importing solar panels and other equipment.
He advocated increased local manufacturing, saying the country had the raw materials and human capacity required to begin producing some renewable energy technologies domestically.
“We should start thinking about manufacturing renewable energy equipment in Nigeria. We have the necessary materials and everything required,” he said.
He urged the incoming leadership of REEEA-A to make policy coordination, equipment standards, climate finance and local manufacturing among its priorities.
Talba also commended the organisers and participants at the conference, describing the gathering as an opportunity for government, investors and industry operators to develop practical solutions for the renewable energy sector.
The call for policy coordination is not new in Nigeria’s renewable energy debate. Talba and other stakeholders had raised similar concerns about fragmented energy and climate policies in previous sector engagements. The significance of his latest intervention, therefore, lies in linking policy harmonisation with equipment quality, climate finance, coastal planning and domestic manufacturing.
