By Juliet Umeh

Not-for-profit organization, Consumer Advocacy and Empowerment Foundation, CADEF, is set to hold a high-level Distributed Energy Resources, DER, Stakeholders’ Workshop.

The workshop, to be held on Thursday, April 24, at The Providence Hotel, Ikeja GRA, Lagos, is themed: “Overcoming Barriers to a Sustainable Energy Transition.”

Speaking ahead of the event, Executive Director of the Consumer Advocacy and Empowerment Foundation, CADEF,

Prof. Chiso Ndukwe-Okafor, said the workshop aims to provide a platform for robust dialogue and action among policymakers, energy sector experts, investors, development partners, and clean energy advocates.

According to her, “The Federal Government of Nigeria had in May 2015 approved the National Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy, NREEEP, as well as the Nationally Determined Contribution, NDC, 2015, which seeks to increase the share of on-grid renewable energy in the total electricity supply from 1.3 percent in 2015 to 30 percent in 2030.

“As Nigeria pursues its Vision 30:30:30 to generate 30,000MW of electricity by the year 2030, with 30% from renewable energy, CADEF, with other experts in the sector, will through the stakeholders’ workshop provide practical and scalable DER solutions, with sessions addressing access to solar financing and investment opportunities, DER integration strategies and grid resilience, policy and regulatory developments, emerging technologies, and case studies.

“This workshop is not just about dialogue, it’s about driving action. Distributed energy resources hold the key to unlocking sustainable and inclusive energy access, especially for underserved communities. Through this engagement, we aim to foster cross-sector collaboration and equip stakeholders with the tools and insights needed to scale solutions that work.”

Participants will gain first-hand insights from trailblazers in the clean energy space, while shaping policy and investment discourse on Nigeria’s energy transition. With a rapidly growing demand for reliable electricity, DER technologies such as solar mini-grids, battery storage, and hybrid systems are increasingly vital for Nigeria’s energy mix.

Also, CADEF’s Director of Programmes, Lovelyn Okafor, emphasized the significance of the workshop, stating:

“The time is ripe to leverage distributed energy innovations to build a resilient and inclusive energy future. We are bringing together voices that matter, from grassroots change-makers to top-tier investors and government officials to spark lasting transformation.”

Consumer Advocacy and Empowerment Foundation has been at the fore, driving change in the renewable energy sector through some key innovative interventions such as the unveiling of the Distributed Energy Resources, DER, one-stop shop, a digital platform created to revolutionize how stakeholders and businesses across the DER ecosystem perceive, access, and manage energy solutions among others 

Meanwhile, the workshop is strictly by confirmed registration and is part of CADEF’s broader commitment to advancing energy equity and sustainability through advocacy, innovation, and capacity building.