The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Mr. Abba Aliyu, has emphasized the need for collaborative national action to revitalize the the nation’s power sector.
He said this in his keynote address at the Distinguished Personality Lecture Series hosted by the Centre for Petroleum, Energy Economics and Law (CPEEL), University of Ibadan in honour of Professor Akin Iwayemi.
Aliyu, who was represented at the event by the Chief Commercial Officer of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, Dr. Ademola Adewumi, warned against over-reliance on foreign models, advocating for context-specific strategies rooted in Nigeria’s realities.
He harped on the need for stronger partnerships among government, academia, private investors, and financial institutions to bring lasting transformation to the energy sector.
He stressed the import of tapping into alternative energy sources such as solar, wind, and wave power, noting that political will, policy coherence, and the implementation of research findings are critical to unlocking this potential.
He bemoaned the sector’s unattractiveness to investors due to regulatory uncertainty, infrastructure costs, and foreign exchange volatility.
He said: “There must be a stable policy environment and a long-term vision. Electricity must be treated as a national priority, beyond political cycles.”
In his opening remarks, Director of CPEEL, Professor Olugbenga Falode described the lecture as a tribute to Professor Iwayemi’s pioneering legacy and a platform for bridging academic research with energy policy and practice.
He lamented Nigeria’s per capita energy consumption—about 180 kilowatt-hours—remains far below global standards, crippling key sectors like agriculture, education, and industry.
Speaking on CPEEL’s recent innovations, Falode showcased a solar-powered, IoT-enabled irrigation system and a solar dryer designed to support post-harvest processing in rural communities—solutions already gaining traction among local farmers.
The honouree, Professor Akin Iwayemi reflected on decades of failed reforms.
He cited the efforts of past power ministers including: Bola Ige, Barth Nnaji, and Babatunde Fashola,noting that Nigeria’s energy crisis stems not from a lack of ideas or policies but from poor implementation and political inertia.
“It’s not magic. The policies exist. What’s missing is accountability and the will to act. There is no free lunch. Ineffective leadership must be held accountable if we are to break the cycle”, he said.
He maintained that without consequences for failure, whether through electoral processes or administrative sanctions, reforms will continue to falter.
