The Role of Renewables in the Future of Energy Mix: What Nigeria Must Get Right?
One of the most compelling discussions at the just-concluded NOG Energy Week 2025 spoke on this.
It wasn’t more like introducing a new topic; it was revisiting a conversation we have been circling for years.
This wasn’t the first time we have heard calls for bold national frameworks, regulatory independence, and innovative financing instruments for renewable energy.
What made this panel noteworthy was the urgency in the voices of those speaking. The tone and the tolerance for inaction have gradually shifted.
Implications for Nigeria’s Gas Industry
As the conversation around renewables becomes more assertive, it raises a critical point for stakeholders in gas: you are no longer the only “transition fuel” in the room.
At CAPSL, we have consistently maintained that natural gas remains a strategic enabler in Nigeria’s short- to medium-term energy security.
Regardless of our present situation in the country, the hope for renewed cleaner alternatives, particularly in the rural areas, requires the gas industry to strategize its current position.
1. Dual pressure: Gas companies are under a whole lot of pressure not just to meet domestic energy demands but also to defend their relevance in a greener, more decentralised future.
2. Financial shift: Financial institutions are increasingly allocating cash to renewable projects with positive results. Gas projects that cannot demonstrate compatibility with clean energy goals risk losing access to critical funding.
3. Policy Prioritisation: The national narrative is slowly changing towards renewables. Without solid policy coherence, Nigeria’s gas sector risks becoming the silent middle child in the energy mix journey.
What We Are Excited to See Happen Next
At CAPSL, we are not just observing; we are anticipating a new change, and we are hoping that renewed momentum will eventually unlock:
1. A national energy transition roadmap, with a clear execution time frame for ministries and states, not only documentation.
2. Decentralised pilot projects: Solar or hybrid mini-grids that have a genuine, demonstrable impact on disadvantaged communities.
3. Energy financing that includes financing options for gas-to-power projects, not only solar projects.
4. Clarity on regulatory roles, as progress slows when numerous agencies advocate alternative priorities.
Final thought: It’s time to choose progress. The debates at NOG Energy Week 2025 confirm what we already know: Nigeria is at a crossroads, and the energy sector must choose a path.
