The European Union, EU, has said it is investing 165 million Euros to boost Renewable Energy in Nigeria.
The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ambassador Ketil Karlsen made this disclosure while unveiling Solar Tree at EU Complex in Abuja.
According to Ambassador Karlsen, the ceremony is a demonstration of what is possible with Renewable Energy.
He explained that it was time to work the talk, hence, the EU decided to power some of its facilities with Renewable Energy.
Ambassador Karlsen explained that in partnership with EU’s Development Partners, the sum of 165 million Euros will be spent across Nigeria to promote the reliance on Renewable Energy.
“The EU is investing 165 million Euros to promote Renewable Energy in Nigeria like it is doing worldwide.”
“We believe this is a very important part of solution to the lack of sustainable, safe and affordable energy in Nigeria, where there are more than 90 million people without access to electricity.”
“Often time, they have to power their businesses with generator, which makes their cost of production higher and not able to compete with counterparts from other countries. “
The envoy explained that, for Nigeria to launch into global competitiveness, the challenge of Sustainable, Safe and Affordable energy must be tackled.
“For Nigeria to be able to compete, we need to have wider solution and better mix.”
“That is what we are demonstrating here, symbolically, by having a solar tree in our own compound.”
“We are at the same time working throughout the country, together with our Nigerian counterparts to see that this problem is solved.”
“What we have done with powering part of our court yard and facilities is just a demonstration that we will expand it to power the whole EU complex,” the EU envoy said.
Ambassador Karlsen said the objective of the Renewable Energy is also to lessen pressure on climate change.
Source: VON
