Energy Security and Nigeria’s Sustainable Development: SDG 2030 (7)

Abstract

Over the years, affordable and sustainable energy has been regarded as the backbone of any country needed for the development of her social and economic sectors. Sustainable energy is vital to the production of goods and services, transport, agriculture, health as well as an instrument for politics, security, and diplomacy.  Nigeria is regarded as one of the most populous countries in Africa and is blessed with rich and diverse energy resources. However, poor access to affordable and sustainable energy by a larger percentage of the population has become a norm in the past decades and this has constituted greatly to the poor economic and social development of the country. This paper provides a minireview of the different potentials of energy resources in the country, prospects, and challenges of achieving energy security in Nigeria by the year 2030 as detailed in the United Nations sustainable development goal (SDG: 2030). The paper also discussed recent efforts by the government of Nigeria in tackling the energy crisis bedeviling the country. Findings from the review showed that Nigeria is blessed with abundant energy resources. However, the government needs to be proactive in the implementation of some of the proposed actions such as having a clear policy direction on energy and inclusion of renewable energy sources into the energy mix and reduction in energy wastage in its stride towards meeting sustainable development goal (SDG: 7) by the year 2030.