ABSTRACT
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1. Introduction and Objectives
Africa is facing a significant energy crisis, with a projected energy deficit of 250 gigawatts by 2030. (1) Currently, there are strong indications that Africa will not meet its target for access to affordable, clean, and sustainable energy and net-zero carbon emissions by the year 2050. (2) Greenhouse gas emissions, the depletion of the ozone layer, climate change, and environmental degradation are all consequences of the overreliance on fossil fuels. (3). The energy sector is responsible for around 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with fossil fuels being the primary source. (1)2. Energy in Africa
Most African countries rely heavily on fossil fuels as a major source of revenue and power generation, and Nigeria is no exception. Despite numerous sources of alternative energy, many African countries lack access to clean and affordable energy (4).Figure 1: Variation of electricity production, demand, supply, and final consumption across the sub-Saharan African region (5)
3. Prospects for Africa
In Nigeria, for example, the average solar radiation is about 12.6 MJ/m2 per day at the southern coastal latitudes and about 25.2 MJ/m2 per day in the far northern part of the country, or an average of 18.9 MJ/m2 per day. This shows that the continent has the potential to overcome its energy challenges if it can unleash and tap into its solar energy potential. (5) Nigeria also has the exploitable potential of about 15,000 MW from large hydro plants to small, mini, and micro dams across the country. (6)Africa also has significant reserves of the other minerals necessary for lithium-ion battery production as graphite, cobalt, and manganese. (7) This means it stands a better chance of securing high market share in a global lithium-ion battery market projected by Grand View Research to reach USD 182.5 billion by 2030. (8)
4. Conclusion
It is crystal clear from the foregoing that energy-mix or hybrid power systems, which combine renewables and natural gas, are the way forward for Nigeria and Africa at large to access clean and affordable energy. African policymakers must liberalise the mining and energy sectors to attract investors and entities with the capacity to mine, set up factories, produce batteries, generate electricity, and sell to consumers.5. References
(1) International Energy Agency. World Energy Outlook 2020. IEA.org. 2020 Oct 13. https://doi.org/10.1787/557a761b-en(2) United Nations. Sustainable Development Goals Report 2019. 2019. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2019/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2019.pdf.
(3) International Panel on Climate Change. Climate Change and Land. 2020. https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/sites/4/2020/02/SPM_Updated-Jan20.pdf
(4) Ember Climate. Electricity Data Explorer. 2024. https://ember-climate.org/countries-and-regions/regions/africa/.
(5) Chanchangi YN, Adu F, Ghosh A, Sundaram S, Mallick TK. Nigeria's energy review: Focusing on solar energy potential and penetration. Environ Dev Sustain. 2023;25(7):5755-5796. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-022-02308-4
(6) Nchege J, Okpalaoka, C. Hydroelectric production and energy consumption in Nigeria: Problems and solutions. Renewable Energy. 2023; 219(2):119548. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2023.119548
(7) Baskerin G. Prospects for U.S. Minerals Engagement with Africa. Center for Strategic and International Studies. 2023 Aug. 29. https://www.csis.org/analysis/prospects-us-minerals-engagement-africa
(8) Grand View Research. Lithium-ion Battery Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Product (Lithium Cobalt Oxide, Lithium Iron Phosphate, Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide), By Application (Automotive, Consumer Electronics), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2024 - 2030. https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/lithium-ion-battery-market.
