The ongoing 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) at the Expo 2020 in Dubai has already achieved some notable successes for Nigeria.
The Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria, the African Green Infrastructure Investment Bank, and Solarge International BV have announced their plans to manufacture lightweight solar panels with an ultra-low carbon footprint in Nigeria.
Other significant achievements include the commitment of over $400 million dollars to the loss and damage fund, the rollout of 100 electric vehicles in Nigeria, and the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria (InfraCorp), a privately managed infrastructure development backed by the government with a budget of US$15 billion, and African Green Infrastructure Investment Bank and Solarge International BV for the establishment of a solar panel manufacturing factory in Nigeria.
With over 600 million Africans without access to electricity, world leaders, the private and public sectors and institutional investors are prioritising the need to bridge the energy access gap which currently exists.
Energy access remains the lifeblood of any thriving economy and MoUs of this nature would bring about knowledge and skill transfer, as well as bridge the unemployment gap that currently exists in the country.
The Solar PV Manufacturing Plant will be one of the first large-scale production facilities in the world for lightweight solar panels with an ultra-low carbon footprint.
The project will play a pivotal role in Nigeria’s commitment to sustainable local manufacturing and critical infrastructure for achieving Net Zero emissions and advancing its energy transition plan to cleaner and more sustainable energy sources, reducing reliance on traditional fossil fuels. More fundamentally, the project reinforces the drive towards localisation, green manufacturing and import substitution agenda of the country.
While speaking at the launch which took place at the Nigerian pavilion, Dr Lazarus Angbazo, CEO of InfraCorp said: “We are excited about the partnership with Solarge as it aligns with our commitment to driving an accelerated deployment of infrastructure in Nigeria and specifically toward sustainable development and economic growth.
“The Solar PV Manufacturing Plant represents a critical step in our aspiration to champion the deployment of climate-resilient infrastructure for a cleaner, greener, and more industrially vibrant Nigeria”.
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His Royal Highness Prince Jaime de Bourbon de Parme, Climate Envoy of The Netherlands who was also at the Nigerian Pavilion said: “This partnership is a significant step forward to realising Nigeria’s ambitions to transition to a green sustainable economy, strengthening the relations between Nigeria and the Netherlands.
“The solar sector not only provides opportunities for climate mitigation but also contributes to increased energy access and job creation. Together, we are committed to leveraging these opportunities for a sustainable and prosperous future.”
Jan Vesseur, CEO of Solarge also said: “Solarge is honoured to collaborate with InfraCorp in advancing Nigeria’s solar energy capabilities. Our joint efforts will contribute to the realisation of a sustainable and resilient energy future for the country and strengthen the long-standing bilateral relationship between the governments of Nigeria and the Netherlands.
“Nigeria is geared towards ensuring more MoUs and partnerships would be signed as well as further investments even as the country moves towards a just energy transition.”