Nigeria Takes Lead in Providing Electricity to 300m Africans
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen has said Nigeria is assuming a continental leadership role in the race to electrify Africa, with a bold target to help provide electricity to 300 million Africans by the year 2030.
This was as he also praised President Bola Tinubu’s approval of a $1 billion financing initiative for the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) in December 2024.
He spoke while delivering the keynote at the opening of the First Legislative Conference and Expo on Renewable Energy organized by the House of Representatives Committee on Renewable Energy chaired by Hon Afam Ogene, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in Lagos yesterday.
Speaker Abbas said Nigeria’s involvement in the Mission 300 Initiative, a collaborative effort with the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB), exemplifies its commitment to advancing clean and inclusive energy access across Africa.
He said this initiative is a strong demonstration of Nigeria’s leadership on the continental stage.
“On the continental stage, Nigeria has assumed a leadership role. Through our participation in the Mission 300 Initiative with the World Bank and the AfDB, we are working to provide electricity to three hundred million Africans by 2030.
“While progress has been made, the road ahead requires sustained effort. The success of this transition depends on coherent actions across all institutions. Legislators must establish sound legal foundations. The executive must implement with integrity and urgency. The private sector must invest in innovation and scale. Civil society must foster awareness, inclusion and accountability.
This conference, therefore, provides an opportunity to reaffirm our shared commitment,” he said.
Abbas urged that the momentum built so far should not be allowed to dissipate and urged that the resolutions should lead to concrete outcomes, including model legislation, greater investments, and the adoption of new technologies.
The Speaker used the platform to reaffirm Nigeria’s internal strides toward a clean energy transition. He highlighted the legislative reforms championed by the 10th House of Representatives, including the recent establishment of a Standing Committee on Renewable Energy, which coordinates national efforts in expanding access to clean power.
“Our legislative agenda recognizes energy reform as central to our national priorities. Strategic Objective 8.5 aims to promote renewable energy development while ensuring access, efficiency, and environmental responsibility,” he said.
Among recent legislative milestones, he cited the House’s passage of new tax reform bills that eliminate Value Added Tax (VAT) on renewable energy components and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) technologies. These reforms, he said, are designed to stimulate private investment and enhance affordability in the clean energy sector.
He said the House is also working to provide legal backing for Nigeria’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy (REEEP) of 2015, a framework that seeks to boost renewable energy adoption, curb greenhouse gas emissions, and improve energy efficiency nationwide.
Abbas noted that the urgency to transition to clean energy is no longer optional, citing global energy trends that show a decisive shift toward renewables. He noted that in 2024, renewable energy accounted for over 92 percent of new global power generation capacity, driven primarily by solar and wind, bringing the world’s total installed capacity to over 4,448 gigawatts, a 15 per cent year-on-year increase.
He also referenced international investment figures from 2023, where $1.7 trillion of the $2.8 trillion total global energy investment was directed toward renewable energy, energy efficiency, and electric mobility.
“This is a structural reorientation of the global energy economy,” Abbas said. “Nigeria must align with this reality to stay relevant, competitive, and environmentally responsible.”
He pointed to legislative successes in countries such as Egypt, Germany, and members of the European Union, where robust legal frameworks have accelerated clean energy expansion. He called for African parliaments to emulate such examples through strong laws, decentralized energy strategies, and support for independent power producers.
He commended the Tinubu administration for key energy policy reforms, particularly the Electricity Act of 2023, which devolved control over the power sector to sub-national governments, thus encouraging localized energy solutions and private-sector participation.
He said of the $1 billion approved by President Tinubu, $750 million is earmarked for expanding solar access in underserved areas, resulting in the deployment of 124 mini-grids and over 25,000 solar home systems, benefiting more than 200,000 Nigerians.
“Such bold investments are game-changers. They show what is possible when policy, financing, and legislation align,” he said.
The Speaker reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to its Energy Transition Plan, which lays out a path to achieving net-zero emissions by 2060. He also welcomed the launch of the Nigeria Carbon Market Activation Policy in March 2025, aimed at unlocking climate finance and enhancing project viability.
He emphasized that legislative support, policy innovation, and private-sector engagement are all required for the success of Nigeria’s green transition.
Abbas said legislators must enact and enforce strong legal foundations, while the executive branch must implement these policies with urgency and integrity.
“The private sector must invest boldly, and civil society must foster awareness, inclusion, and accountability,” he added.
He urged participants to take full advantage of the conference to develop concrete resolutions, model legislation, and partnerships that will deliver tangible results.
