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NAEE: Buhari Needs Energy Council to Solve Nigeria’s Power Crisis

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- Chineme Okafor in Abuja

The Nigerian Associatio­n for Energy Economics (NAEE) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to set up an energy council made up of experience­d and reliable energy profession­als and operators from across the country to advise and proffer workable solutions to the federal government on how to address Nigeria’s dilemma with her energy sector.

NAEE stated that unless Buhari takes up the challenge of creating such a platform that would research and provide clear-cut policy options for the government on how Nigeria would make the most of her various energy sources to propel her industrial­isation, the country may continue to experience dire challenges in her energy sector.

According to the NAEE, such energy research council will advise the federal government on the potentials of its energy supply sources and how best they could be tapped.

NAEE added that the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) should have undertaken the task, but is unable to do so, hence the call for an energy council.

Speaking at a recent briefing in Abuja, the president of NAEE, Prof. Wumi Iledare, stated that countries like the United States and others have such council, which have helped them to research and implement policies on shale oil exploratio­n.

“The president needs an energy council; competent energy profession­als to look at the energy supply mix for Nigeria just like you have in some other places. The reason today why you see the shale gas developmen­ts in the US is because of the Potential Natural Gas Committee that existed for many year, and I said this when

Buhari came to power, that there is an energy council that is moribund and should be revamped,” said Iledare.

Iledare also stated that the NAEE will hold the 11th edition of its annual conference this week in Abuja in conjunctio­n with the Internatio­nal Associatio­n for Energy Economics (IAEE).

According to him, the conference would explore the impacts the changes in global energy market could have on emerging economies like Nigeria, with emphasis on the potentials in Nigeria’s gas deposits.

Providing details of potential discussion­s points at plenaries in the conference­s, Iledare said:

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