How Energy Conservation Could Improve Nigeria’s Power Supply
By Rabi Isyaka Rabiu
Electricity generation, transmission and distribution are very crucial to national development and economic prosperity. Over the years, appreciable progress in the area of constant supply of this engine that lubricates the economy of every nation continues to be a mystery, particularly in Nigeria.
Sufficed to say that various models have been tried including the event culminated privatisation the sector, just to see that constant electricity supply becomes reality in Nigeria. One may be quick to blame the government, we are however yet to understand that some of our own activities as consumers are largely instrumental in contributing to the failure in Nigeria’s energy sector.
Research has shown that for Nigeria to be fully sustainable in power supply, the country needs to generate an estimated 30,000 – 35,000 Mega Watts. Unfortunately, Nigeria presently is only able to generate between 4000-5,000 Mega Watts, and yet, we are not managing this meagre generated energy capacity efficiently.
To achieve that therefore, Nigerians need to start imbibing the habit of power conservation in order to save energy to improve their lives and properties.
In a recent interview with the Head of Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO), Ibrahim Sani Shawai, conserving electricity energy will not only prevent unequal distribution of the light or providing low current one, it will also prevent hazardous effects that may likely cause fire outbreak due to power surge. In most cases, refusal to conserve the energy leads to numerous damages, thereby leading to loss of lives and properties.
In Kano state for instance, the Sabon Gari and Kantin Kwari markets fire outbreak is a case study of dangerous electrical menance which led to the loss of innumerable wealth, all according to reports, due to the habit of non-switching of electrical appliances when not in use, or when not around in the case of marketplaces and offices.
Also, there are lot of fire outbreak incidences in many houses caused by electrical appliances as a result of not conserving the energy.
Therefore, energy conservation is very essential to societal development, and, Nigeria can conserve it by switching off all appliances when not in use. Women as housekeepers also have an important role to play. They should try as much to always remind their husbands to be conscious of energy consumption rate and assist in its conservation at home.
The more energy we consume, the heavier our bills will be, and the more energy we conserve, the lighter our electricity bills will be.
Rabi Isyaka Rabiu is an intern with PRNigeria Centre, Kano
