Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Nigeria has taken a major step in its energy transition drive with the establishment of the National Committee on Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Innovation and Certification, NCREEIC, domiciled in the Energy Commission of Nigeria, ECN, alongside the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with High Voltage 101 Limited.
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, who presided over the event in Abuja, said the initiative marks a bold new course in Nigeria’s socio-economic development by aligning innovation and industrial growth with the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Nnaji explained that the MoU and the committee’s formal launch demonstrate government’s readiness to bring together critical ministries, industry players, and research institutions to strengthen Nigeria’s energy ecosystem.
He said, “Our Ministry, through the Energy Commission of Nigeria, is poised to provide every Nigerian with clean, reliable and affordable energy while ensuring innovation, industrial growth, job creation and environmental stewardship.
“The signing of this MoU with key drivers and partners, and the establishment of NCREEIC, is charting a bold new course in Africa’s energy transition. We are building a framework that reflects the broad strength of government working hand-in-hand with industry and society,” the Minister said.
Nnaji urged the newly inaugurated committee to focus on four key areas: innovation and research, collaboration, local content development, and certification and standards.
Also, Director of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi, noted that the country has already made “notable progress in establishing institutional frameworks to support energy efficiency initiatives across key sectors such as industry, buildings, appliances, and transportation.”
He added that ECN has also set up the National Centre for Energy Efficiency and Conservation,NCEEC, hosted at the University of Lagos, where appliance testing and energy research are being carried out.
Speaking on behalf of the private sector, Managing Director of High Voltage 101 Limited, Hon. Chijioke NwaDavid, commended the development as a timely intervention in Nigeria’s energy transition.
“This is a transformational step in Nigeria’s pursuit of energy sustainability, innovation, and economic growth. It shows the government is serious about creating an enabling framework for private sector investment in renewables,” NwaDavid said.
The NCREEIC is expected to provide the much-needed platform to harmonize Nigeria’s energy efficiency and renewable energy policies, helping to accelerate progress toward cleaner energy and sustainable economic growth.
