To help Nigeria quickly transition to cleaner energy, the Netherlands government has inaugurated an advisory board for the country’s solar marketplace to drive sustainable energy solutions.
Nigeria’s solar marketplace which was launched in November by the Netherlands and its partners is a key component of the Dutch’s commitment to promoting renewable energy adoption and achieving sustainable trade and development in the country.
It acts as a trusted platform that will connect and facilitate trade and investment in the Nigerian solar sector. It is also the platform for matchmaking and providing resources to support sellers, buyers, project managers, investors, and knowledge partners.
Against this backdrop, the Consulate of the Netherlands inaugurated the solar market advisory board, a pivotal step forward in its ongoing efforts to promote sustainable energy solutions in Nigeria.
“This significant milestone demonstrates our continued commitment to fostering collaboration and innovation in the renewable energy sector,” said Geoffrey van Leeuwen, the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.
“This inauguration of the solar marketplace advisory board marks a significant moment in our shared journey towards scaling renewable energy opportunities in Nigeria,” Leeuwen said.
“By bringing together top minds from the renewable energy sector in Nigeria, we aim to accelerate the adoption of solar technologies, foster innovation and create tangible impact in Nigeria’s energy landscape,” he added.
The solar marketplace advisory board which comprises nine esteemed experts and industry leaders in Nigeria will play a central role in guiding the strategic direction and implementation of the initiative.
With diverse backgrounds and extensive experience in renewable energy, the advisory board members are poised to provide invaluable insights and recommendations to drive the initiative’s success.
Yusuf Umar, program lead of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) renewable energy platform and a member of the newly inaugurated advisory board, said there are lots of dislocations in Nigeria’s energy sector with lots of businesses acting in silos.
“This is a good time to have the solar marketplace initiative to galvanize support, stakeholders and hopefully break the silos,” he said.
Umar added that there is a need for convergence to drive the renewable space in the country, which according to him, is what the solar marketplace is set out to achieve.
Also, Femi Adeyemo, founder of Arnergy and also a member of the advisory board stated that despite the challenges in other sources of energy, Nigerian businesses can no longer run sustainably with diesel. As a result, he noted that there is a need to catalyze investments in renewables.
Frank Hoogers, director of operations at Independent Energy BV said there is an economic and business sense in accelerating sustainable energy solutions in Nigeria as it will drive rural electrification.
Other members of the solar marketplace advisory board are; Edwin van Veenhuizeen of Invest International, Ayo Ademilua, president of the Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria, and Farouk Bello, manager at the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet.
Others are; Michael Ivenso of the National Council On Climate Change, Emeka Oragunye of Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), and Olabanjo Alimi of Sterling Bank.
