The Honourable Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji has said Nigeria requires accurate, reliable and timely energy data to drive and track the energy transition process.
He made the statement at the official launch of the computerised National Energy Information System (NEIS) held at the ECOWAS headquarters, Abuja.
Nnaji said, “The Energy Commission of Nigeria is cognisant of the need to improve energy data collection methods by setting up systems which respond to the country’s data needs to include all sectors of the economy, to improve energy data quality and coverage.
“The outcome of the collaboration between the Energy Commission of Nigeria and the ECOWAS Commission can now enable us, as a country, to conduct energy programming better, improve government efforts for better planning, policy making and making informed decisions related to the country’s energy sector transformation.
“The current need for energy transition calls for a more holistic approach that will revolutionise the process, so that project designs, policies and strategies are informed by high-quality and reliable energy data.”
He said the computerised National Energy Information System was conceived to dematerialise data collection, reduce data entry error and processing time, improve the speed of data dissemination and improve data quality.
“This is an occasion intended to usher in an innovative approach to the collection, collation, harmonisation, validation and dissemination of energy data,” he added.
Earlier in his welcome address, the DG/CEO Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), Dr. Abdullahi Mustapha said, “The Commission is charged with the responsibility for strategic planning and coordination of national policies in the field of energy in all its ramifications.
“In doing so, the Commission collates, analyses and publishes information relating to the field of energy from all sources for energy planning.
“To achieve this, the Commission established a National Energy Information System, which is to serve as a repository of bankable energy data in the country.
“The collated data would serve as inputs into the development, operation and maintenance of the National Energy Information System, which will be accessed by Researchers, Development Partners, Individuals and organisations to plan, make informed decisions and take effective actions in the management of energy supply, use and costs.
“In order to further achieve this mandate therefore, the Commission must work with other relevant governmental and non-governmental organisations that generate, collect, analyse, disseminate and use energy data.”
In his keynote address, the Statistician General of the Federation and Chief Executive Officer, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Prince Aderemi Adeniran stated that the project supported by ECOWAS, not only represents a significant leap in the country’s collective efforts to harness the power of statistical information to improve our energy sector.
“It also underscores the new direction of travel of the national statistical system in Nigeria, which is to adopt innovative ways of collecting, analysing, managing and disseminating data to the wide array of users.
“Energy is the lifeblood of modern economies, driving growth, innovation and social development. Accurate and timely energy information is crucial for informed decision-making, efficient resource management, and ensuring energy security,” he stated.