DEVELOPMENT OF RENEWABLE ENERGY: THE NEED FOR A LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK

ABSTRACT

This research assesses the development of renewable energy as a tool towards achieving the intended nationally determined contribution in Nigeria. This study sets out to find out the extent at which the intended nationally determined contribution towards climate change has been successful in Nigeria, and to examine the impediment to the implementation of the United Nations Framework on Climate Change in attaining the objectives of the Convention on the Environment in Nigeria. It shows that the Nigerian government has been providing policies and initiatives aimed at implementing the Paris Agreement to address climate change. A number of new specific policy commitments have been made by the Federal Government of Nigeria in order to implement the unconditional contribution as announced in the 2015 NDC. These include, among others, elimination of kerosene lighting by 2030, greater uptake of bus rapid transit, and a 50% reduction in the fraction of crop residues burnt by 2030. There have been some other policy-based responses of the government in reducing the greenhouse gases released into the Nigerian environment. The study also finds that there have been a few success however, overlapping roles and lack of clarity of purpose of institutions, high cost of renewable energy projects, power purchase agreements, adequate legislation and regulation, poor strategies, lack of public awareness, policy inconsistency, lack of data transparency and equity have militated against the effectiveness of these strategies in achieving the intended nationally determined contribution to climate change in Nigeria. The research recommends that due to the economic state of Nigeria, there is a need for support from organizations, such as ADB and World Bank in facilitating the INDs and concludes that Nigeria's clean energy future seems to be taking shape with the fleshing out of the NDC, however, the government should ensure that the strategies to mitigate climate change are effectively carried out.