UNIDO TARGETS 75 NIGERIAN INDUSTRIES FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY

increase profitability, operate at international best standards, comply with regulations and maintain improved relationship with policy makers.”

Furthermore, he said a pilot financing RECP-IEE scheme would be executed through the Bank of Industry (BoI) of Nigeria and issue around ISO 50000 and 14001 would be executed through the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

The Chief Risk Officer of BoI, Mr.

Ezekiel Oseni, noted that availability of energy was one of the major challenges facing manufacturers in Nigeria and hoped that the IEE will help to lower their cost of production, “and have positive multiplier effects across the value chain. It would also help in promoting cleaner environment in line with SDGs.”

The Director General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mr. Segun Ajayi-Kadir, in his welcome address during the workshop, specifically appreciated the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and UNIDO for initiating the entire project that would support the solution of energy challenges in the country.

Ajayi-Kadir, who was represented by Director, Corporate Services Division of MAN, Mr. Ambrose Oruche, said the GEF-UNIDO IEE and RECP project would provide a credible energy platform that Nigerian industries could explore to narrow the energy gap in the country.

He said: “Unfortunately, the Nigerian industrial sector has suffered very limited energy supply at exorbitant cost; notwithstanding the implications on competitiveness.”

The Representative of the IEE Working Group at the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Mr. Oluwayemi Fabiyi, said, during the workshop that it is important to note that Nigeria greatly needs to improve its energy efficiency, especially for the industries.

Fabiyi said: “Competitive/ efficient use of obtainable energy not only makes power more available for consumption it also helps to minimise and avoid environmental pollution mitigate climate change and increase productivity.”

He said the project was slated to commence in 2020 but due to COVID pandemic and restriction it fully commenced in mid-2021.

The Deputy Director and Group Head, Electrical Electronics of SON, Mr. Alewu Cherry Achema, who was represented by Mr. Timi Michael, charged stakeholders “to embrace these concepts so that policies and guidelines that encourage energy efficiency can be developed and implemented,” adding that “incentives are being planned towards encouraging many companies in Nigeria to buy into these initiatives.”