healthier, happier and richer

Total national greenhouse gas emissions as a percentage of global total, 2004 figures

0.4% (see 2007/2008 Human Development Report: Nigeria).

Historical contribution – 1850 to 2000

< 1%

Change in annual greenhouse gas emissions since 1990

Nigeria and South Africa are the main emitters of greenhouse gases in Africa, accounting for almost 90 percent of the emissions in the continent (see Nigeria, S. Africa worst greenhouse gas emitters in Africa: experts). Nigeria emissions increased 10.8% a year from 1990 to 2004, with a total increase over that time of 150% (see 2007/2008 Human Development Report: Nigeria).

2005 per capita annual greenhouse gas emissions

2.1 tonnes

Balance of energy sources, 2008

	%
Renewables – mainly firewood	81
Oil	10
Gas	8.25
Hydro	0.5

Energy security

Nigeria has oil reserves to last over 40 years, and has the world’s seventh largest gas reserves.

Electricity generated, 2008

	%
Gas	58
Hydro	27
Oil	14.5

Installed renewable capacity

There was only 2.2Mw of wind in 2008. There is also very little solar, although the Nigerian government is funding small schemes to bring solar PV to some off-grid rural villages.

Electricity – supply and demand

“There exists a wide energy supply/demand gap in Nigeria. The local generation of electricity meets only 31% of the demand of 10,000Mw. By contrast, only 39.6% of the total installed capacity for electricity generation is achieved, owing to aging infrastructure, etc. The energy demand/supply pattern and infrastructure… thus suggested the need to increase the electricity generation capacity. Furthermore, Nigeria flares 77% of her associated natural gas. Apart from the environmental penalties that flaring represents, in monetary terms, over the 110 years’ life of Nigeria’s gas reserves, a conservative estimate of the cost of the gas so-flared was $330 billion (based on $20/barrel average price of crude). It was safely inferred that the way forward in meeting the country’s energy demand should include a strong element of gas utilization. In previous publications by this group, it was established that while domestic cooking could reduce the flared gas by about 5.4%, a cohesive policy on associated gas use for electricity generation could eliminate gas flaring.”

From Safety implications of bridging the energy supply/demand gap in Nigeria through associated natural gas utilization, by Funso Akeredolu and Jacob Sonibare (see CNRS inist).

Cars per thousand of population

1