Inefficient Energy Use Threatens Industrial Growth

Industry stakeholders have identified inefficient energy use as a major constraint to productivity and competitiveness in Nigeria’s manufacturing sector.

They appealed to the media to champion informed public discourse that supports sustainable industrial reforms.

The call was made in Kano at a one-day capacity-building workshop for journalists organised under the Global Environment Facility (GEF)–United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) Industrial Energy Efficiency (IEE) and Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) Project Nigeria.

Presenting a paper titled “The Concept of Cleaner Production and Its Role in Reducing Resource Consumption and Environmental Footprints,” Mr. Chukwudubem Anyadiegwu said the engagement marked a shift from basic awareness to deeper understanding of sustainability principles. He argued that poor energy and resource management—rather than lack of finance—remains a central challenge facing many Nigerian industries.

Anyadiegwu explained that RECP is a preventive strategy that reduces energy, water and material consumption while cutting waste and emissions at the production stage. “Cleaner production is about doing more with less. Many firms can reduce costs immediately by eliminating waste and inefficiencies, without new investments,” he said.

He noted that escalating energy costs have elevated RECP from a purely environmental concern to a critical economic and development imperative, urging journalists to deploy facts, data and context—rather than buzzwords—when reporting sustainability issues. According to him, the media play a gatekeeping role in scrutinising industry claims and shaping public trust.

Earlier, the National Project Coordinator of the GEF-UNIDO IEE and RECP Project Nigeria, Mr. Oladipo Jacob, said unreliable and costly energy supply continues to burden Nigerian industries. He disclosed that participating firms have recorded productivity gains by producing more with less energy through improved energy management.

Similarly, the IEE National Expert, Engr. Obafemi Adejumo, said industrial energy efficiency means achieving the same or higher output with reduced energy input, warning that persistent inefficiencies are eroding industrial profitability.