The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) says it is targeting to electrify 80 per cent household in Nigeria by 2040.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir Lawal, made this known on Tuesday in Abuja at the launch of the NEPAD stakeholders meeting on Skills Initiative for Africa on Youth empowerment.
He said that the Federal Government was partnering with NEPAD to achieve this target
Lawal, who was represented by Amb. Roy Ugo, the Permanent Secretary, office of the SGF, said that government hopes to achieve the improved electrification under the NEPAD’s Programme of Infrastructural Development in Africa (PIDA).
According to him, the Sustainable Energy for All Programme (NSEP) is one of the programmes of NEPAD Nigeria to facilitate the development and growth of the energy sector in Nigeria.
He said that other development projects under the NSEP includes the development of the continent’s nuclear power efficiency, energy efficiency, regional energy market, bio-energy development for energy and food security.
The SGF said that Nigeria facilitated the establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) programme in Nigeria.
Lawal said NEPAD Nigeria co-chaired the committee which produced a harmonised National Action Agenda for the implementation of the SE4ALL agenda in Nigeria which is on the pipeline of validation.
Recounting other achievements of NEPAD programmes in Nigeria, Lawal said six tertiary institutions have benefitted from the NEPAD-TETfund Interactive Learning Network (ILN).
He listed the institutions as the University of Nigeria, Nsuka; Bayero University Kano; University of Ibadan; University of Lagos; University of Abuja, and the Kaduna Polytechnic.
Lawal said over 1,200 women in rural communities have been trained and sensitisation workshops conducted across the country under the NEPAD Nigeria Climate Smart Programme in various aspects.
He said the NEPAD Home-Grown School Feeding and Health Programme have emerged from the multi-sectorial Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP).
He said the programme was in collaboration with the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) to address the regressive problems of food security, malnutrition and hunger.
Lawal said that Nigeria has also made a 400 million dollars commitment for the commencement of the Trans-Sahara gas pipeline.
He explained that it is a project where Nigeria is expected to deliver gas to the European market at 12 billion dollars
Commending the activities of NEPAD Nigeria, he said that the development cooperation for skills initiative for youths in Africa was timely as it is in line with the agenda of the present administration.
The SGF said that the agenda of the federal government accords priority to policies that would provide opportunities and succour for millions of extremely poor Nigerians.
Lawal said the federal government has developed several programmes for the actualisation of this agenda which includes Social Protection Schemes like the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP).
He listed others to include the National Women Empowerment Fund (NAWEF), the N-Power and other programmes to support the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He urged a continuous relationship and regular interactions between NEPAD Nigeria and NEPAD Continental to attain the socio-economic development of Nigeria.
