National Strategies To Promote Renewable Energy Development: Whither Nigeria?

Abstract

Renewable energy (RE) development enhances electrification, mitigates climate
change and aids energy efficiency. Kenya, South Africa and Ghana, among
other states within sub-Saharan Africa, have established legal regimes to
integrate renewable energy into their energy mix. Through defined legal
strategies for RE deployment, these states have committed to the promotion,
development and utilization of RE. Despite the momentum towards renewable
energy development across the region, Nigeria’s efforts fall short of establishing
effective legal strategies. As Africa’s most populous nation it must do more to
make RE part of its energy mix in order to impact electrification rates, mitigate
climate change and aid socio-economic conditions. This article appraises the
legal strategies for RE development in Kenya, South Africa and Ghana. Against
this appraisal, it critically evaluates Nigeria’s legal strategies to promote and
develop RE. It recommends legal reforms that are necessary to better integrate
RE into Nigeria’s energy mix. The methodological approach of this article is
doctrinal and library-based. It includes primary and secondary sources. Primary
sources include laws, statutes, legal documents, conventions and statistics.
Secondary sources include journal articles, internet sources and newspaper
articles. All sources are subject to content analysis. It is expected that the
article will be useful to policy and lawmakers across various tiers of
government in Nigeria.