Business
Global Energy Transition Must Be Sensitive To Africa’s Priorities -Osinbajo
The Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, has said that the global energy transition must be managed in a way that is sensitive to Africa’s priorities.
In a statement, yesterday in Abuja, Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, said the vice-president spoke virtually at the 2022 Standard Bank Climate Summit themed, “Africa’s Path to Carbon Neutrality”.
Osinbajo’s focus was on how to manage the energy transition to net-zero in the context of Africa’s unique challenges, such as energy poverty.
The vice-president said that the current global energy transition was both an opportunity for the preservation of the earth, unlocking the potential and livelihoods of millions of people, especially those in developing countries.
“The current energy transition is an opportunity like none other for the preservation of the planet.
“But, it can also be a vehicle for unlocking the development potential and livelihoods of millions of people; there is no reason why we cannot have both.
“The global community must account for diverse realities and accommodate various pathways to net-zero, particularly for African nations.
“This is because they need financial and technical support as well as the flexibility to develop as swiftly as possible,” he added.
According to Osinbajo, this will ensure a fair and balanced energy transition that leaves no one behind.
The vice-president said: “How we manage the global energy transition must be sensitive to Africa’s priorities.
“The global energy transition must place energy access for both consumptive and productive uses at the heart of climate action.”
Osinbajo said that to ensure a global energy transition that was favourable, African nations needed to engage more critically and vocally on the matter.
The vice-president made reference to Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan(ETP) as a leading light.
“The value of having a nation-specific, data-driven plan as the basis of our activities and engagements cannot be overemphasised.
“The plan provides a clear financial estimate for the achievement of Nigeria’s energy access and transition goals.
“The ETP finds that an additional 10 billion dollars over business as usual is required annually till 2060 to shift the entire economy to a net-zero pathway; we hope to see more of such plans on the continent,” Osinbajo said.
He said that efforts were being made to have a pan-African position on energy transition.
Osinbajo said: “This is underway with certain countries including Nigeria developing and signing on to the Kigali Communiqué which came out of the Sustainable Energy for All Forum in June, and outlines principles for a just and equitable energy transition.
“We must take ownership of our transition pathways and design climate-sensitive strategies that address our growth objectives.
“We must clearly and thoroughly articulate our priorities, strategies and needs.
“Though Africa’s current unmet energy needs are huge, future demand will be even greater as populations expand, people move into the middle class and rapid urbanisation continues.”
The vice-president recalled that in 2020, Sub-Saharan Africa had 568 million people without access to electricity.
Osinbajo said that the aforementioned represented more than three-quarters of the world’s total un-electrified population.
According to him, most developed nations have 100per cent energy access.
The vice-president said: “Surely, the race to net-zero must not leave people in the dark.
“Also, Sub-Saharan Africa remains the only region in which the number of people without access to clean cooking fuels and technologies is rising.
“19 of the 20 countries with lowest clean cooking access rates are in Africa.
“Limiting the development of gas projects, as a critical energy transition pathway for Africa, violates enshrined principles of equity and justice.
“It also poses dire challenges for African nations while making an insignificant dent in global emissions.”
Osinbajo said Africa had contributed the least of any global region to greenhouse gas emissions and currently emits under 4 per cent of global emissions.
The vice president said that under no plausible scenario were Africa’s emissions a threat to global climate targets.
“Unfounded predictions should not serve as excuses to limit our energy technology options.
“Limiting financing of gas projects for domestic use in Africa would pose a severe challenge to the pace of economic development, delivery of electricity access and clean cooking solutions, and the scale-up and integration of renewable energy into the energy mix,” he added.
On financing energy transition, Osinbajo said a balanced and just approach to the energy transition recognised that finance was key.
He said that lack of access to finance remained the biggest challenge for accelerating action on energy access and climate goals in Africa.
The vice-president restated the call on developed countries to bridge the disparity in energy investments.
“Of the $2.8trillion invested in renewable energy from 2000 to 2020, only about 2per cent, $60billion came to Africa.
“It has been estimated by the International Energy Agency that Africa will need around $133billion annually in clean energy investment to meet our energy and climate goals between 2026 and 2030,’’ he said.
The Standard Bank Group, which hosted the event, had committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions from its own operations for newly built facilities by 2030.
The group also said it would be targeting net zero emissions for existing facilities by 2040, and from its portfolio of financed emissions by 2050.
MoniePoint Inc. a digital financial firm in Nigeria, has said it is empowering community pharmacists across the country with innovative payment solutions to improve access to drugs.
The financial firm said it had also provided loans for pharmacists under the aegis of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) to drive healthcare delivery in the country.
MoniePoint in a release titled, “Inside Nigeria’s community pharmacies: How Moniepoint drives healthcare access with payments and funding”, has reaffirmed its commitment to providing digital payment solutions to improve health outcomes in Nigeria.
The release examined how community pharmacies play a crucial role as vital access points for medical care in Nigeria, especially in areas with limited hospital or clinic access.
According to the release, the ACPN National Chairman, Ambrose Igwekwam, highlighted the critical role played by community pharmacies in Nigeria’s healthcare system over the years.
Igwekwam, however, expressed concerns over the challenges confronting the nation’s pharmaceutical industry which he said was hindering access to affordable medicines.
The pharmacist listed poor infrastructural systems, power, transportation, regulatory bottlenecks, importation dependency, and limited research opportunities as major challenges facing the pharmaceutical sector.
He also stressed the need for robust collaborative efforts with institutions like Moniepoint to strengthen the sector.
“As Nigeria continues to grow, improving local pharma manufacturing to meet the demands of this growth presents a key opportunity for us all.
“There is also the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, which is expected to boost our industry, especially when we start producing our drugs locally, which will provide the much needed foreign exchange from exports.
“We are also seeing advancements in digital health and technology which would hopefully deepen the practice of e-prescription in Nigeria”, the ACPN boss said.
Corlins Walter
In order to enhance customer service and streamline operations, the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) has called on stakeholders in the insurance industry to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The President of the institute, Yetunde Ilori, made this call at the 2024 Office Representatives Committee (ORC) Workshop, organised by the institute, with the theme “AI and the Future of the Insurance Industry”, in Lagos.
Ilori at the event, emphasised the importance of AI adoption, noting that it was not a threat to jobs but rather a tool to improve efficiency across the insurance sector.
“It is not about AI taking over our jobs, but about us using AI to simplify processes and give maximum satisfaction to all the customers we serve whether as underwriters, brokers, loss adjusters, or in educating our members”, she said.
The workshop, which brought players in the insurance sector together, aimed to address how AI could be leveraged to transform business processes and improve customer interactions.
The Chairman of the ORC, Monica Nwachukwu, underscored the role of AI in modernising the industry, adding, “AI can automate customer and claims processes, allowing insurers to provide faster and more efficient services to their customers”.
She explained how AI could help extract data from legacy systems, enhancing decision-making processes.
“By integrating AI with APIs, insurers can feed valuable data into AI solutions to improve operations and customer service”, she added.
In his address, the Managing Partner of A4S and Training Heights, Orlando Odejide, stressed the need for companies to align their strategies with future technologies like AI, especially as they prepare for 2025.
“Any organisation that wants to grow into the future must have its strategic plan in place. If your strategy for 2025 is not ready, it should be done by October”, he advised.
He encouraged participants to think critically about how AI could be integrated into their business models to ensure they remain competitive.
“The idea is for you to use this workshop as a platform to think about your organization and how AI can help streamline your processes and improve growth”, Odejide noted.
In order to gain global respect and recognition, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has reaffirmed its determination to pursue its goal in ensuring that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
The agency also reaffirmed its commitment to positioning Nigeria as a key player in the global space economy.
In a statement by the Director of Media and Corporate Communications, Dr. Felix Ale, NASRDA revealed that the Director-General of the agency, Matthew Adepoju, emphasised this during recent engagements at the 79th United Nations General Assembly and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Global Alliance Business Association international conference in Michigan, United States.
The statement noted that Adepoju outlined a forward-thinking agenda, stressing the importance of Nigeria’s space programme as a leader in research, exploration, and technological innovation.
“Our goal is to ensure that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
“We must foster collaborations with global space agencies to enhance our satellite capabilities and technological infrastructure”, he stated.
The NASRDA boss said the agency is focusing on enhancing satellite capabilities, expanding international collaborations, and leveraging space science for national development.
He said NASRDA will have no stone unturned in pursuit of excellence, ensuring the agency secures the necessary resources and recognition to propel it forward.
“The relationships we build today will pave the way for tomorrow’s advancements in space science.
“Innovation and progress thrive in an environment built on collaboration and inclusivity”, he stated.
He emphasised that with the support of the government, international partners, and a dedicated team, NASRDA is poised to make significant strides in the evolving global space landscape.
“We are on the brink of a new era for Nigeria’s space agency. Together, we will ensure our nation stands out in the global space economy”, he said.
Corlins Walter