Improving households' access to electricity and energy consumption pattern in Nigeria: Renewable energy alternative

Access to substantial quantity and quality energy infrastructures is essential to rapid and sustainable economic development. Access to modern energy services directly contributes to economic growth and poverty reduction through the creation of wealth. No country can develop and sustain beyond subsistence means without having at least minimum access to energy services for the larger portion of its population. The present study examines the households' access to modern energy (electricity) services and pattern of energy consumption in Nigeria. It was found that the access to modern form of energy in the country is very low despite the country's abundant energy endowment. Greater proportions (over 40%) of Nigerian households do not have access to electricity and still depend largely on traditional forms of energy (e.g., firewood, kerosene, etc.) as energy sources. However, Nigeria is abundantly endowed with renewable energy resources. This can be significantly developed to generate modern and clean electricity to meet the yearning demand of its citizens without imposing serious hazard on the environment. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.