Inadequate availability of power for Nigerian manufacturers have necessitated the use of alternative sources most of which are harmful to the environment, hence energy and environmental experts advise the need to adopt cleaner sources of energy to protect the environment while improving power generation for better productivity.
This was discussed at the GEF-UNIDO IEE & RECP Project’s Inception Workshop themed improving Nigeria’s industrial energy performance & resource efficient cleaner production through programmatic approaches & the promotion of innovation in clean technology solutions.
The workshop hosted by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in partnership with United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the Global Environment Facility marked the official commencement of the project implementation and showcased the importance and benefits of the Project to industrial stakeholders in Nigeria.
While delivering the keynote address, Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, Minister Federal Ministry Of Environment said while it is crucial to position manufacturers for sustainable productivity and supply, it is also important to prioritize environmental protection through the source& efficiency of energy production and consumption.
He added that the 2016 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) report revealed that more than 3.5 billion people live in nations with unsafe air quality due to industrial solid waste and air pollution resulting from the use of fossil fuels as sources of energy.
“Poor and ineffective purification systems resulting from industrial activities may become seriously dangerous to the environment, leading to the accumulation of toxic products with potentially serious consequences on the ecosystem,” he said
Abubakar noted that the adoption and successful application of a cleaner Industrial Energy and Resource Production methodologies will help reduce cumulative negative impacts on the ecosystem
“It will also lead to cleaner and more efficient production processes and energy efficiency that will improve industries’ resilience in uncertainties of energy costs, increased competitiveness of manufacturing companies in the country and put the country’s economy on a low-carbon path,” he added.
Oladipo Jacob, National coordinator of the Project, said as a major industrial hub, Nigeria has performed poorly on the environmental performance index, as it ranked 151 out of 180 countries with 30 percent in 2020, hence it is important to address the environmental issues.
“So we are trying to make sure that whatever activities carried out in the country is done with the aim of making gain through efficient use of resources and industrial energy. If less energy is used in production, you have less adverse effect of energy misuse, which has less effect on the environment,” he said.
Jacob added that the project which cost $30.53 million aims to accelerate the adoption of industrial energy efficiency (IEE) and improve enterprise environmental performance under the wider umbrella of Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production (RECP) best practices and innovative approaches within selected small, medium and large-scale industrial enterprises in Nigeria
Segun Ajayi-Kadir, Director General, said that the use of energy is a critical component of the production process however for local manufacturers, adequate power and energy have remained challenges for a long time, causing the huge dependence on alternative energy.
He revealed that the cost of generating alternative energy for operations takes 30 percent of the total production cost while energy from the national grid has not been business friendly either due to the increment in tariffs by distribution companies with no corresponding improvement in service delivery.
“The introduction of the energy management system and energy system optimization that could sustainably reduce manufacturer’s energy consumption and cost incurred on energy is a welcome development for stakeholders in the real sector,” he said
The DG also mentioned that the project moves to optimize energy and resource efficiency as well as a cleaner production for manufacturers, thus he urged industrialists to adopt safer and more efficient energy options in order to promote environmental protection while driving increased productivity.
