Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, says the country is making efforts to transition to a green economy through renewable projects including hydrogen energy initiatives.
The minister said this during the Global Africa hydrogen summit and clean energy maximisation in Namibia.
Lawal said the harnessing hydrogen project would earn the country foreign exchange and make Nigeria a regional hub for green hydrogen production and export while utilising blue hydrogen from natural gas for domestic purposes.
According to the minister, the green energy project would help the country maximise abundant resources – sun, wind, water/hydroelectric and market.
He said: “Nigeria is faced with huge energy crisis and as a party to United Nations Climate Convention (UNFCCC) at COP 26 in Glasgow committed to meet the Net zero target in 2060. With this pledge, a lot of efforts have been made to transition to a green economy through renewable projects including hydrogen energy initiatives.”
He said through the project, energy access has been identified that would make Nigeria to become a leader in hydrogen technology and innovation, fostering local expertise and driving advancements in the clean energy sector to boost economic development. (SDG 7/ Energy Poverty).
“This would position Nigeria as a leader in the African hydrogen economy, leveraging its vast resources and strategic advantages to influence regional energy markets,” he stated.
He also said the green energy project would create jobs, especially for youths and women that are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
“Nigeria has focused on using renewable energy including hydrogen to lift about 100M persons out of poverty and manage job losses due to decarbonisation in oil sector,” he added.
The minister also said a U.S.-based firm, FuelCell Energy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Oando Clean Energy Limited (OCEL) for the development of a large-scale green hydrogen power plant.
“U.S.-based FuelCell Energy signed MOU with Oando Clean Energy Limited (OCEL), a Nigerian renewable energy company that aims to improve access to electricity in Nigeria for a 5MW – 15MW power plant with FuelCell Energy providing its fuel cell and electrolyser technology – and possibly its carbon capture and sequestration technologies.
“The Kaduna State Government and Qatar Government are proposing installation of $350M dollar hydrogen plant in Kaduna State of Nigeria,” he added.
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