Power Outage, High Cost Of Diesel Push Business Operators To Seek Alternatives

Chief KB Mark Anthony operates one of high profile printing companies in Lagos. However, his company is now facing an uphill task of meeting demand of clients due to unreliable frequent unreliable electricity as power outages from the national grid and heavy dependent on diesel powered generators is not only disrupting delivery timelines but also eating up profit.

Recently, the company had to spend extra money to buy a drum of diesel for about N200,000 to meet with clients job delivery which is outside agreed budget for a printing job following grid collapse that caused nationwide outage. The firm struggles sometimes with this uncertainty leading to tragic outcomes, with dozens of jobs affected due to inadequate power supply.

Asides businesses in Nigeria, over 85 million people grappled with no access to electricity, affecting daily life, essential services like healthcare, and economic stability. Recognising this pressing issue, the Government initiated the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) with a $550 million program, including significant financing from The World Bank. This initiative aimed to provide off-grid electricity to millions, resulting in over 5 million people gaining access to reliable power and the creation of numerous green jobs.

Beyond hospitals, the impact extended to small business owners like Clement Ewullum who runs an electrical shop.

To address this, the government launched the ‘Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES)’ programme. The DARES aims to provide over 17 million Nigerians with new or improved access to electricity, replacing hundreds of thousands of polluting generator sets with clean and reliable power.

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For individuals like Chukwuma Uzoma, who runs a restaurant the DARES programme represents hope a promise of being connected to clean, dependable electricity that will illuminate homes, power businesses, enhance education, and bolster healthcare services across Nigeria.

Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who is the global advisor of the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), gave the highlight while delivering his address titled: “Climate Positive Growth: Africa as a Climate Action Partner for the UAE And the World,” at the New York University (NYU), Abu Dhabi Campus, UAE.The ex-university lecturer, also gave four conditions to realise climate-positive growth and create a green industrial region of the world, urging African countries to focus their economic growth and development plans on green opportunities.