SEPLAT, an energy company in Nigeria, has revealed that increasing the supply of electricity in the country will advance investments, News About Nigeria reports.
The Director of External Affairs and Social Performance, Chioma Afe, made this known while noting that the high imports of diesel in the country have brought about an adverse effect on the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
Reacting to the data from the International Trade Centre, which stated that Nigeria spent $5.26bn importing electric generating sets, electric transformers, vacuum cleaners, hair clippers, and other electrical machinery and equipment in 2020 and 2021, Chioma maintained that increasing access to electricity is critical for driving the development of the Nigerian economy.
According to her, reliable and affordable power remains an essential requirement for investment in many sectors, including technology, manufacturing, and many others.
Stressing the need for increased electricity supply in the country, the director stated that it will replace the imported diesel generators, which she noted are currently putting homes and cities in the country in a chokehold.
She added that it is also a major drain on the country’s foreign exchange through the imported fuel on which they run.
She, therefore, advised that Nigerians switch to cleaner energy in cooking, rather than biomass, which she noted is a major source of air pollution, avoidable health problems, and unnecessary deaths, adding that it will also drive deforestation and loss of biodiversity.
According to her, a switch to LPG or electricity will also free rural women from the time-consuming burden of fetching firewood, so they can spend more time with their families and earn valuable income.
