Nigeria is blessed with natural resources like oil and gas, yet millions of citizens still live without stable electricity. This is a major challenge holding back progress in every sector—businesses struggle, students cannot study at night, and healthcare services are limited.
Nigeria’s power generation is far below what the country needs. Although the installed capacity is about 13,000 megawatts, only 4,000 megawatts or less reaches homes and businesses. For a country with over 200 million people, this is highly insufficient. Power outages are common, with grid failures recorded multiple times this year alone. This lack of reliable electricity forces many Nigerians to depend on generators, which are expensive to run and harmful to the environment.
Despite these challenges, renewable energy presents a ray of hope. Solar, wind, and small hydropower systems are becoming more popular and could change the power landscape in Nigeria. The government, along with partners like the World Bank, has started projects to improve energy access. One major project, the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-Up (DARES), aims to provide clean energy to 17.5 million Nigerians.
There are still hurdles to overcome. Policies need to be more favorable for renewable energy investments. Financing such projects is another big challenge, as funds are often limited. Many people also lack the technical skills to manage and maintain renewable energy systems.
The government must support private investment in clean energy while promoting community-based projects. At the same time, more training programs should be introduced to teach people how to handle these new technologies. Nigeria has what it takes to solve its energy problem and improve lives, but action is needed now.