Electricity a luxury, out of the reach to many Nigerians – Kyari

Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari, has said that electricity is largely a luxury and out of the reach of many Nigerians.

Speaking at the NNPC summit in Abuja on Tuesday, Kyari described as unfortunate that many households have continued to depend on small petrol-powered generators, popularly known as ‘I-pass-my-neighbour’ in local parlance.

While stressing the need to resolve the issue of electricity supply in the country amidst the global energy transition from the use of fossil fuels (such as petrol and diesel) to renewable energy, he added that Nigeria is long overdue to resolve the issue of electricity.

“For this country and very many of us in sub-Saharan Africa, what we worry about today is actually the meals of today. There are many who can’t afford a meal a day. And of course, electricity is largely a luxury; it’s only for the elites, like all of us here.

“It is the dream of very many to have ‘I-pass-my-neighbour’ in their homes. When you say, do not use fossil fuel, you are saying that park this.

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You have not provided alternatives. The world has not looked at their situation. The world has not recognised that there is abject poverty in the communities.

”We have to resolve the issue of electricity, so that we can talk about renewable energy in the future and reduce the use of fossil fuel that has a high impact on the environment. We know that there is an energy transition in the world. With time, there will be less dependent on fossil fuel,’’ Kyari said.