FG Charts New Course For Hydrogen Development

Federal government has taken a giant leap towards harnessing the huge potential of hydrogen production in the country, with the unveiling of a hydrogen development agenda and reaffirmation of its full commitment to developing a unified national hydrogen policy for the country.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, who spoke during the inception meeting with stakeholders for the development of the hydrogen policy, harped on the immense potential of both Blue and Green hydrogen in Nigeria, citing the country’s abundant natural resources, strategic geographic position, and potential for industrial transformation and global leadership in the clean energy revolution.

“This policy will chart a definitive course for integrating hydrogen into our energy mix, while positioning Nigeria as a significant player in the global hydrogen economy,” he said.

The gas minister also called for cross-sectoral collaboration to come up with a policy stressing that a National Hydrogen Policy presents Nigeria with substantial opportunities across economic, environmental, and social dimensions.

Ekpo highlighted the economic benefits of Nigeria’s hydrogen development agenda, including diversification of revenue streams, job creation, attraction of investments, and industrial growth. Accordingly to him, hydrogen can create new industries, generate employment opportunities, and attract local and foreign investments, thereby boosting the economic growth of the country.

He also stressed the environmental sustainability of hydrogen, noting that it supports Nigeria’s decarbonisation goals and contributes to global climate change mitigation efforts. Additionally, Ekpo highlighted the infrastructure development benefits, including the leveraging of existing gas infrastructure to facilitate hydrogen production and distribution.

Ekpo noted that developing hydrogen infrastructure will foster advancements in energy storage, fuel cells, and transportation systems, ultimately driving Nigeria’s economic growth and sustainability.

Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, reaffirmed his ministry’s commitment to supporting the delivery of the national hydrogen policy.

According to Bagudu, there is an urgent need to evolve a hydrogen policy that not only serves Nigeria’s interests but also aligns with the country’s national development policy, energy policy, and the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.

The minister called on all stakeholders to work together to generate a policy that Nigeria can be proud of.

Joshua Garba, representing the country director for GIZ (German Agency for International Cooperation) commended Ministers Ekpo and Bagudu for spearheading the development of a unified national hydrogen policy for the country. Garba pledged GIZ’s continued support in partnering with the federal government to unlock the potential of hydrogen energy, emphasising its importance for decarbonisation.

He noted that countries worldwide are producing hydrogen for global supply, and said Nigeria’s move to develop a hydrogen policy was a welcome development.