The Consumer Advocacy and Empowerment Foundation, CADEF, has warned that low public trust in regulatory institutions and limited awareness of their responsibilities could undermine Nigeria’s transition to renewable energy.
The Executive Director of CADEF, Dr Chiso Ndukwe-Okafor, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, citing findings from a survey conducted by the foundation. She said, 40 per cent of electricity consumers could not identify regulators in their respective states, while 79 per cent knew about the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, but did not understand its functions.
She added that only six per cent of respondents were aware of grid-related improvements in their communities, highlighting the communication gap between electricity institutions and consumers.
Ndukwe-Okafor said Nigeria’s electricity challenges extended beyond inadequate supply to include the rising cost of accessing electricity and alternative energy sources.
She explained that the country faced both energy access deficits and energy poverty, leaving many households and businesses unable to obtain sufficient electricity or afford alternative sources.
According to the survey, 45 per cent of respondents relied on generators for backup electricity, despite most earning below N100,000 monthly.
The findings also showed that 30 per cent experienced inadequate energy access, while 21 per cent sometimes reduced electricity consumption and 18 per cent always cut back. Another five per cent said they could never afford the energy they required.
She also questioned the fairness of electricity supply bands, citing inconsistencies in the supply hours received by consumers connected to the same feeder.
Ndukwe-Okafor said 66 per cent of respondents expressed low trust in government, while 31 per cent reported medium trust.
She added that electricity distribution companies recorded 57 per cent low trust, 39 per cent medium trust and four per cent high trust.
Regulatory institutions recorded 40 per cent low trust, 53 per cent medium trust and six per cent high trust.
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She said 89 per cent of respondents were considering adopting renewable energy by 2028.
She added that 95 per cent were willing to adjust their electricity consumption periods to reduce bills, while 88 per cent were prepared to undergo approval processes lasting between two and three months to enable them sell excess electricity generated through renewable energy systems.
However, she identified high initial costs, inadequate financing options and distrust in renewable energy vendors as major barriers to adoption.
Ndukwe-Okafor stressed the need for stronger consumer protection, transparent market information and accountability among service providers to build confidence in the renewable energy market.
As part of efforts to address information gaps, she announced CADEF’s upgraded Renew Energy Naija digital platform, designed to guide Nigerians on distributed energy solutions.
She explained that the platform featured a solar calculator that allows consumers to input their household appliances, quantities and wattage to estimate their energy requirements and identify suitable solar configurations.
The platform also provides a directory of renewable energy service providers, educational resources, policy briefs, consumer surveys and industry articles.
Meanwhile, the Founder and National President of the Women in Renewable Energy Association, Dr Anita Okuribido, called for more accessible financing arrangements to increase women’s participation in Nigeria’s renewable energy market.
Okuribido said restrictive lending requirements, including collateral, credit history and extensive documentation, prevented many women-led businesses from accessing available funding.
She advocated financing models such as pay-as-you-go arrangements, equipment financing, working capital support, loan guarantees and patient capital.
The Director of Research and Data Analytics at NERC, Mr Abdullahi Adamu, highlighted regulatory measures introduced under the Electricity Act 2023 to expand electricity access and support distributed energy development.
Adamu disclosed that the commission issued Mini-Grid Regulations in April and Net Billing Regulations in June.
He added that 17 states had completed processes to establish and assume regulatory oversight of their respective electricity markets.
NAN
