A former Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, has reiterated that Nigeria must use gas as transition fuel. He spoke in Lagos yesterday during the 33rd S.L. Edu memorial lecture in Lagos on the theme:
“Greening Africa’s economies: Can climate positive growth deliver prosperity?” He said the position taken by the Nigerian government on energy transition over the years was the correct approach.
Osinbajo said: “I think that the point to be made especially to those who say that we should abandon gas and use only re – newable energy is that gas must be used as a transition fuel and we have plenty of gas.
“There is absolutely no reason why we should not use our gas in the transition journey. Absolutely no reason. As a matter of fact, many of the countries that are urging that we should not use our gas are countries that in their multidecade plans or the transition have gas as a major component.
So there is no reason whatsoever why we should not use gas as transition fuel. “I am convinced that the position that has been taken by the Nigerian government over the years is correct.
Now we have enough gas to use and we should invest in our gas and use that as we go along even as we develop our renewable energy industry.
“One day it will be clear: Renewable energy, once it gets cheaper, the economic decision will be taken, using more than gas or any other fossil fuel.”
The ex-vice-president opined that it made sense for African to develop on the green economic paradigm because the countries on the continent have climate competitiveness and would do better when they go green.
He explained that the leaders on the continent need to work together and speak with one voice to be a major climate action power house.
