Hot SourceThe Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has said that embracing green tech and digital tools is key to secure the country’s future.
Olawande who was represented by Senior Technical Adviser to the Minister, Obinna Ebirim said this at third edition of technology ecosystem dialogue organised by Young Innovators Nigeria, YIN, in Abuja.
The theme was ‘Green Tech and Energy Revolution, transforming Business and Society’.
He said there was need to support young people with the right skills, platforms, and investments to shape their destiny and secure Nigeria’s leadership in the global digital and green revolution.
“Let us ensure that everyone is carried along, no one is left behind, be it those in rural areas, young women and the future of digital and green future is not this land, it is here.
“A time when technology is powering the economy, shaping destinies, refining business models, and enabling young people to solve problems that once seemed impossible,” Olawande said.
He said the ministry recognises the creativity of young people as nation’s greatest asset, adding that the future of Nigeria would be written in digital codes, powered by renewable energy, and driven by the creativity of young people.
Olawande said the dialogue was a pathway for young people to move from learning to earning, from innovating to scaling, and from dreaming to doing.
The Chairman, House Committee on Renewable Energy, Victor Ogene said there was need to embrace digitalisation as a cornerstone by integrating smart metering, remote monitoring, AI-driven load management, standard systems, and mobile-enabled vending systems that can reduce losses, ensure transparency, and optimize performance.
” For instance, digital monitoring has been shown to cut operational downtime by up to 30 percent, while mobile-enabled payment systems increase collection efficiency to over 90 percent, compared to less than 60 percent in task-based systems.
“Nigeria still has about 85 million people without access. If just 25 per cent of these households are connected through digitally-managed mini-trees and solar home systems.
In the next five years, we will generate over 200,000 green jobs, expand rural agro-processing, and reduce CO2 emissions by tens of millions of tons annually,” Ogene said.
He said the committee would partner with the young innovators of Nigeria in recognising renewable energy and green technology not only in policy framework, but also in the creativity, energy, and resilience of young population.
“The International Energy Agency, IEA, estimates that Nigeria hosts over 60 million small generators, consuming more than $22 billion annually in off-grid diesel generation.
“These are expensive, polluting, and unsustainable. Yet, with digital-enabled ministries, we can replace these generators with cleaner systems that are not only 30 to 40 per cent cheaper per kilowatt-hour over their life cycle, but also more resilient in rural and peri-urban contexts,” Ogene said.
He said Innovation in clean energy and electrification should go hand-in-hand to bridge the energy gap, power industries, preserve farm produce, and drive the productivity that transforms society.
The minister called on innovators, investors, and developers to continue working hand-in-hand with government institutions by building collaborations, digitize the systems, and ensuring green transition were good, inclusive, and sustainable.
The Director General, Rural Electrification Agency, REA, Abba Aliyu said there was need to build industries, provide jobs, and skills within local and beyond innovators
Aliyu who was represented by Head of Research and Development, Balance Tyoden said women, youth and citizens should not be bystanders, but co-owners of energy policy.
“Renewable energy solutions can help our lives, whether through our solar home systems, mini-grids, or productive use of energy.
“Yet, we also know that technology alone is not enough. We must give innovation to high-level, nationwide portfolios.
“We must move beyond supply and productive use, and ensure inclusivity among our young innovators. And we ensure that our innovators are at the center of energy policy,” he said.
The Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Abdullahi on his part, noted that green technology was not a choice but an imperative, requiring collective action from government, industry, academia, and citizens to build a future that is digital, green, and inclusive.
Abdullahi who was represented by Senior Adviser to Director General in Innovation and Research, Lukman Lamid said the Agency was ready to collaborate with stakeholders to ensure Nigeria benefits from and leads Africa in leveraging green technology for growth, jobs, and sustainable development.
The President of YIN, Andrew Agbo said the purpose of the programme was for innovators to showcase their products and to proffer lasting solutions to the challenges affecting the energy industry.
“The vision was for Nigeria reach the mark when it comes to providing electricity and clean energy for our citizens.
“So the young innovators, we are the champion of this program. We are the thinkers, visionaries of this program, because we want to see our country work. We want to see our country is able to sustain itself in terms of generating clean energy for ourselves, and also which lead to food security.
“Also, because energy also affect food security. So we had the nexus of linking this together to ensure that from affordable, clean energy, we can address food security,” he said.
Embracing green tech, digital tools key to Nigeria’s future – Minister, others
