Nigeria's energy review: Focusing on solar energy potential and penetration

Environ Dev Sustain. 2023;25(7):5755-5796. doi: 10.1007/s10668-022-02308-4. Epub 2022 Apr 13.

Abstract

In Nigeria, the rapid population increase and the overreliance on fossil fuel have created significant environmental, health, political, and economic consequences leading to severe socio-economic drawbacks. These factors have developed a wide gap between energy demand and supply due to insufficient local production, necessitating a clean energy supply for all. The photovoltaic device's economic and environmental merits have made it the most suitable clean energy alternative to help developing countries such as Nigeria achieve the SDG-7. However, apart from the device's low efficiency, which is undergoing intensive study globally, other factors affect the penetration of the technology in developing countries, particularly Nigeria. This report systematically reviews the literature on the country's energy crisis and renewable energy potential, leading to an overview of solar energy potential and penetration. The potential of the technology and its penetration in the country were provided. A list highlighting challenges hindering technology penetration was also provided, and a solution for each was recommended.

Keywords: Electricity; Electricity crisis; Energy; Nigeria; Potential and penetration; Renewable energy; Solar energy.

Publication types

  • Review