‘Multidisciplinary approach key to address energy problems in Nigeria’

Adeola Adenikinju, director, Centre for Petroleum Energy Economics and Law (CPEEL), University of Ibadan, speaks with OBODO EJIRO on the activities of CPEEL and its efforts at addressing key challenges in the energy sector.

The Centre for Petroleum Energy Economics and Law (CPEEL) seems to be an advocate of addressing energy issues from a multi-disciplinary dimension, can you please explain?

That is very true. Energy is multidimensional. There can be technology, legal, institutional, economics, finance and even religious dimensions to energy issues. So, to be able to have a holistic understanding of how energy issues could be resolved, it must be examined from a multidisciplinary perspective.

There are aspects of energy relating to engineering, environment, legal frameworks, and economics. This is why CPEEL work in multi-disciplinary teams that allow us as an organisation to have a robust understanding of arising energy issues in Nigeria and Africa.

Our approach at CPEEL is to train highly skilled energy professionals that have holistic perspective to energy issues. We also conduct research and give consultancy advice that will help policy makers and other stakeholders in energy sector to take greater advantage of new opportunities in the sector.

What should the Buhari administration do differently to ensure that there would be stability in the energy sector?

In my view, the government should take a comprehensive review and assessment of existing policies in the sector to ensure that those that are adjudged useful in promoting energy development of the country are quickly implemented, while some of the existing policies that are under implementation are evaluated to determine if they are meeting set down objectives and goals. Secondly, there is a need to properly align and define the roles of the various institutions in the energy sector.

There are too many institutions and agencies in the energy sector with overlapping responsibilities, improper definition and delineation of responsibilities leading to avoidable conflicts and wastage of resources.

The Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) in my view should provide a coordinating role for all the energy institutions to ensure that each agency is performing responsibilities allocated to it under the National Energy Policy and National Renewable Energy Policy.

Thirdly, energy statistics and information system must be developed and well resourced to support proper planning.

Lastly, there should be greater collaboration between the universities, research institutions, especially those in the energy sector and the government. This will ensure that energy policies are evidence based. Again, the government should adopt multidisciplinary approach to addressing energy problems.

Until recently, the issues of availability, accessibility and affordability were germane in the energy market. Acceptability concerns have altered the dynamics in this market in the recent time. What are your suggestions on how the Nigerian government can manage this concern?

Realizing all the four A’s of energy goals are all very relevant and remain major challenges for Nigerians. With respect to the electricity supply, as a country we are confronted with gross inadequacy of supply, close to 50 per cent of the population have no access at all to electricity, a lot of Nigerians are also confronted with the challenges of crazy electricity bills and being charged for electricity they did not consumed. Hence, there is resistance to existing charges and this has continued to encourage electricity theft with negative consequences on the bottom line of the electricity utilities. Acceptability introduces concerns about the environmental effects of the energy source for electricity generation.

The Center has been identified as being big on advocacy of energy analytics, what is the future of energy analytics in Nigeria?

In my view the energy sector is going to be very big in the future, several times the size of the telecommunication sector with multiple players – government, energy industry, financial institutions, civil society, investors, etc.

The sector is developing and will require highly trained energy lawyers, energy economists, energy financial experts, among others. The energy sector is a globalized industry, increasing in sophistication and will therefore need highly trained and well equipped experts.

The government also needs to ensure that policies are evidence based. The country should also stop depending on foreigners with limited knowledge of Nigeria’s idiosyncrasies. Trained Nigerian professionals with a broader perspective will be very useful for moving the Nigerian energy sector forward.

Your Centre is preparing for its second regional energy conference in October. Tell us about the programme.

The conference will hold this October. It will provide a rich array of perspectives and informed discussions that could forge a future for the sector. For two days, policy makers, investors, energy executives, researchers, entrepreneurs, and regulators from the region will engage in in-depth analysis of key developments and challenges facing the region’s energy sector.

CPEEL actually bridges the gap between theory and practical. One of our approaches to bridging the gap between theory and practical is our annual regional energy conference. The Conference will attract experts from industry, academia, and policy at the highest level in the region.