Most of Nigeria’s public primary schools lack electricity

Nigeria has been ranked among 17 surveyed African countries whose more than 50 percent of pri- mary schools have no elec- tricity for learning.

Among the studied countries by Africa Progress Report 2015, Nigeria’s 65 percent of pri- mary schools do not have electricity.

As of five years ago, ac- cording to an available infor- mation, Nigeria had 54,434 public primary schools and this means that about 35,382 primary schools do not have electricity for study activities and enhance learning.

According to the latest Africa Progress Report 2015, Burundi topped the table with 98 percent of schools without electricity.

The coun- try is followed by Guinea at 98 percent, Niger 95 percent, DR Congo 92 percent; Togo has 91 percent of schools without electricity.

Other countries are Cam- eroon with 81 percent, Gha- na has 67 percent, Rwanda and Gabon are better placed with 64 percent and 51 per- cent, respectively.

Emphasising the im- portance of electricity to education, the report notes that energy poverty leads to educational disadvantage through many routes, say- ing “while there has been much attention to the real
potential for new learning technologies in education, there has been less recogni- tion of some familiar energy- related problems.”

It says improved access to modern energy can mean more time for attending school and lower risks of school dropout, particularly for school-age girls who can spend less time collecting firewood.

“Providing electricity to schools can open new doors to learning for boys and girls through information technologies,” the report, which advocates for equitable and sustainable development for Africa, notes.

The report further said that without universal access to energy services of adequate and quantity, countries cannot sustain dynamic growth, build more inclusive societies and accelerate progress towards eradicating poverty.

The report launched recently said that 95 million Nigerians rely on wood, charcoal and straw for energy even as the country is oil exporting superpower.

Also large percentage of the country’s estimated 167 million population is among the households in Africa living on less than $2.50 a day who collectively spend $10 billion every year on energy-related products, such as charcoal, kerosene, candles and torches.

DANIEL OBI