The Civil Society Organisations’ Budget Implementation, Assessment, Monitoring, and Evaluation Committee (CBIAMEC) has called on Nigeria to urgently embrace renewable energy to address its worsening power supply crisis.

Speaking in Abuja on Saturday at a press briefing themed “Powering Nigeria’s Future: Advocating for a National Shift Toward Renewable Energy for Sustainable Development,” CBIAMEC Chairman, Splendour Agbonkpolor, urged all sectors—government, private, and civil society—to back the push for clean energy.

“Nigeria must turn to cleaner and more sustainable sources of energy. It is our collective responsibility to support this transition,” Agbonkpolor said. “Renewable energy holds the key to unlocking our nation’s full potential.”

He highlighted shocking figures from the International Energy Agency, noting that over 85 million Nigerians—nearly half the population—still lack access to electricity, making the country the global leader in energy access deficit.

“Unreliable and insufficient power continues to stifle economic activities, healthcare, and education, especially in rural areas,” he added.Agbonkpolor also commended the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), led by Director-General Dr. Abdullahi Mustapha, for initiatives aimed at scaling up clean energy use nationwide.

“In collaboration with ALGON, ECN plans to install 5 megawatts of renewable energy systems in every local government area to bridge the urban-rural energy gap,” he revealed.

According to him, these efforts align with Nigeria’s Renewable Energy Action Plan, which targets achieving 30% renewable energy in the national energy mix by 2030.

He further noted the economic benefits of the shift, stressing that clean energy could create millions of jobs in areas like solar panel production, wind turbine installation, and energy-efficient tech services.

“This transition isn’t just about power; it’s about powering jobs, innovation, and sustainable growth,” Agbonkpolor said.