Some Interesting Developments to look out for in 2020
Ayodele Babalola*
More of the Energizing Education Programme (EEP)
We expect to see more off-grid renewable projects being commissioned in federal universities and teaching hospitals in Nigeria under the Energizing Education Programme (EEP). The EEP is an initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) to provide sustainable and clean power supply to 37 federal universities and 7 university teaching hospitals with total estimated capacity of 89.6 MW. Some EEP projects were completed and launched in 2019. I wrote an article proposing policy recommendations for state and private universities seeing that the EEP is federal.
Twenty Five Million Trees Project
In 2019, President Buhari announced plans to mobilize Nigerian youths to plant 25 million trees to enhance our carbon sink, and curb afforestation and erosion. We hope to see this policy take shape in 2020. In my article I suggested that the states are in a great position to formulate housing policies that will make our cities resilient.
More Grid and Off Grid Collaboration
2020 promises to usher in more collaboration between the grid and off grid spaces. The pace was set in 2019 when we witnessed the signing of a tripartite agreement between Green Village Electricity (GVE), Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and Wuse Market Association for the development of 1MW interconnected minigrid at Wuse market, Abuja aimed at providing clean, safe reliable & affordable electricity. The interconnected minigrid will be deployed through 3 independent hybrid PV solar systems of 450kWp, 350kWp & 200kWp to serve 3 distinct segments of the market.
Blue Box Initiative
We expect to see the scaling up of the Blue Box Initiative in Lagos State which was launched last year. In my article I re-examined the Blue Box Initiative.
Community Waste Management Systems in Oyo State
With the recent restructuring of the waste management space in Oyo State in 2019, 2020 is expected to usher in a different waste management structure that is community based. It is also reported that there are plans to welcome investors to electricity waste on PPP basis.
Litigation
The NGO suit against the Lagos State Government and the National Environmental Standards Regulatory and Enforcement Agency (NESREA) at the Federal High Court, Lagos asking for the shutting down or relocation of Olusosun dumpsite continues this month. The NGO claims that the dumpsite poses a threat to, and infringes on the fundamental rights to life and dignity of its members thereby violating Sections 33 and 34 of the Nigerian Constitution as well as Articles 16 and 24 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights. This suit presents the opportunity for the court to make a pronouncement on the intersection of environmental claims and fundamental rights.
Yes, she made my list. She was the first female Managing Director of the Nigerian Rural Electrification Agency. She is responsible for successfully negotiating within 18 months the Nigerian Electrification Project which is a USD 550m facility (World Bank USD 350m and AfDB USD 200m) to rapidly construct solar mini-grids and deploy solar home systems across Nigeria. She is also responsible for the EEP.
She is presently the CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of UN-Energy. In 2020, we hope to see her contribute her quota at that level to closing the energy access gap and enhancing energy transition in Africa.
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*Ayodele Babalola is qualified to practice law in Nigeria and has an LL.M (Master of Laws) with specialization in Environmental & Energy Law and Public Law from the University of California, Berkeley. He is the Founding Partner, AOB Willows LP where he leads the Dispute Resolution, Environment & Elections Practice
