Green tech key to Nigeria's future - Minister
The Minister of Youth Development, Mr Ayodele Olawande, has emphasised that embracing green technology and digital tools is essential for securing Nigeria’s future in energy and industrial development.
Speaking in Abuja on Friday at the third Technology Ecosystem Dialogue organised by Young Innovators Nigeria (YIN), Olawande, represented by Senior Adviser Mr Obinna Ebirim, highlighted the urgency of investing in young talent and innovation.
The dialogue, themed “Green Tech and Energy Revolution: Transforming Business and Society”, brought together innovators, government officials, and stakeholders to discuss sustainable digital and energy solutions for Nigeria’s development.
Chairman of the House Committee on Renewable Energy, Rep. Victor Ogene, called for digitalisation as a cornerstone of energy transformation, including smart metering, remote monitoring, and AI-driven systems to improve transparency and performance.
Ogene cited data showing digital monitoring cuts downtime by 30 per cent, and mobile-enabled payments raise collection efficiency from 60 per cent to more than 90 per cent, critical metrics for scaling national access.
He said Nigeria still had 85 million people without electricity, and connecting just 25 per cent through digital mini-grids and solar homes could generate 200,000 jobs and significantly reduce CO₂ emissions.
He cited the International Energy Agency’s data showing Nigeria hosts over 60 million small generators, costing 22 billion dollars annually in diesel, a model he described as unsustainable and environmentally harmful.
With digital-enabled systems, Ogene said those generators could be replaced with clean energy that was up to 40 per cent cheaper per kilowatt-hour and better suited for rural and peri-urban communities.
Director-General of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abba Aliyu, represented by Head of R&D, Balance Tyoden, said citizens, youth, and women must become co-owners, not bystanders, in Nigeria’s energy transformation.
Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Abdullahi, represented by his Senior Adviser, Lukman Lamid, said green technology was now an imperative, requiring unified action from government, academia, and private sector players.
He assured stakeholders that NITDA was ready to collaborate across sectors to ensure Nigeria not only benefited from green technology but also led Africa in its adoption and implementation.
President of Young Innovators Nigeria, Andrew Agbo, said the dialogue was a platform for showcasing youth-led solutions in energy, aimed at fixing national energy challenges and ensuring long-term food security.
Agbo said energy was directly tied to food systems, and Nigeria could not progress without addressing both simultaneously, clean energy could unlock the potential of agriculture and rural development.
He said the programme was aimed at helping Nigeria achieve energy independence, empowering local innovators, and creating sustainable, youth-led solutions to improve access to electricity and food for all citizens.