By Godwin Oritse

Energy entrepreneurs in Nigeria have been urged to reduce the country’s massive energy gap using renewable energy.

The German Consul-General, Mr. Michael Derus made the appeal during a seminar titled the “utilization of the potential of renewable energy” in Lagos, Nigeria.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Derus reiterated the continued partnership of the German government to Nigeria by promoting environmentally sustainable solutions for energy generation and distribution.

Affirming the German government commitment, Mr Derus stated that “in the framework of the Nigerian German Energy Partnership (NGEP), it (Germany) stands ready to make a contribution to this end”, adding that “Germany and its partners in the European Union are also committed to make the Paris Climate Summit in December 2015 a success.”

Mr. Derus said the German government commitment to energy solution with the Nigerian government was agreed through a memorandum of understanding, was first signed in 2008 and renewed in 2013.

One of the speakers at the seminar; Mr. Jurgen Raach noted the need to encourage local production of solar panels in Nigeria, as well as a large market demand for solar energy that will drive the investment. He however warned that investors must be ready to compete with China market.

A Nigerian energy entrepreneur, Mr Femi Adeyemo, who deploys solar energy pilot project in a poor community in Lagos, said access to funds has been a challenge to expansion of affordable renewable energy for the poor.

He called for legislation and policies that would provide incentives for local energy entrepreneurs.

The Head of Energy and Environment Desk of the German Industry and Commerce in Nigeria, Mrs. Barbel Freyer said the seminar was a way of showcasing energy solutions that are environment friendly and also provide the platform for Nigerian energy entrepreneurs to learn from Germany’s success in the use of renewable energy solutions.

“Nigeria is a viable market for renewable energy and Germany is in the fore front of clean alternative energy solutions in Europe. Germany has  lots of well developed solutions in the area of renewable energy which can help Nigeria and Africa at large. A lot of Germany technical innovations can be used here in Nigeria. Germany wants to set good example, we don’t want to be part of the global carbon pollution. Germany also wants to showcase how things can work in a sustainable way without polluting the environment” she said.

The Chairman of Blue Ocean Nigeria; Mr. Segun Adaju said the success of the ‘Pay As You Go solar’ for commercial use is a joint process that needs the support of government to provide policies and regulations, energy entrepreneurs, investors, financial institutions and development partners amongst others.

Mr. Adaju pointed out that Pay As You Go model has supported the uptake of solar especially in East Africa and Nigerian businesses stand to benefit from its adoption.

Energy entrepreneurs in the country listed access to funding, lack of usage and consumer confidence, inadequate human and structural capacities and high initial investment cost for renewable energy as challenges affecting the expansion of access to renewable energy in the country.

A renewable energy advocate and Chairman of Rubitec Solar Mr. Bolade Soremekun, stressed the need for a unified body of energy entrepreneurs that will form a formidable voice in pushing for the development of legislations that would increase affordable and accessible energy solutions in the country. Mr. Soremekun said the body would also help in creating awareness about usage of renewable energy.

Discussions at the energy seminar which is the fourth in its series organised by the Office of the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Lagos, also focused on energy cost savings and efficiency as well as environmental protection and job creation.

Participants demanded for legislation and its effective implementation for the standardization of essential equipment and a control of the influx of sub-standard equipment which results to high failure rates of government projects.

The seminar which was organized with the aid of Climate Fund of the German Federal Foreign Office will continue with further engagements due to the high commitment of German government to clean energy solutions in Nigeria.