Chairman, ASOLAR, Hakeem Shagaya, led a delegation that met with the Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, Prof. Abubakar O. Sulaiman in his office on Wednesday.
The purpose of this meeting was to explore potential areas of collaboration regarding the utilization of Renewable Energy in Nigeria. The primary focus of the discussion revolved around the environmental hazards associated with using generators for electricity generation.
During the meeting, Shagaya, highlighted that his company had successfully powered several local government areas through solar energy projects. He emphasized the economic and environmental advantages of solar panels, describing them as a more cost-effective, eco-friendly, and preferable alternative for power generation. Additionally, he mentioned that solar power could also serve as a means of revenue generation for the government while imposing minimal or no costs on users.
In response, the Director General expressed gratitude to the ASOLAR team and acknowledged that the issue of solar power energy had been a prominent topic in national discussions. He mentioned his personal advocacy against poor power generation and supply since 2015, citing instances such as his representation of Nigeria at the climate summit in China. Furthermore, he highlighted the recent emphasis on this topic at the Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, Kenya.
Prof. Sulaiman stressed that it is long overdue to prioritize proper advocacy and capacity building in Renewable Energy Usage for the new legislators, which is crucial for sustainable development in the country. He further informed the delegation that the Institute had been actively working on a Renewable Energy Seminar project for the past four months.
At the conclusion of the meeting, it was agreed that a technical team would convene to further deliberate and schedule another meeting to formulate detailed plans and strategies for capacity building in Renewable Energy Usage for the legislators.