VOA科学技术2024--Nigeria's Solar Projects Struggle to Power the Country

About half of Nigeria's 200 million people cannot get enough electricity from the country's electrical grid¹.

Many poor, rural communities have no electrical service at all.

Nigeria has a lot of sunny weather and solar energy appears to be a good way of producing electricity there. But Nigeria has had problems getting solar projects completed.

Experts have produced studies that say Nigeria could generate more electricity than it needs from solar energy centers. But 14 large solar projects in the northern and central parts of the country have not gone forward since contracts were signed in 2016. The projects reportedly could produce 1,125 megawatts of electricity if completed.

Supporters of solar energy in Nigeria blame high interest rates, which can be as high as 15 percent. The International Energy Agency says that is much higher than in developed economies and China. Borrowing costs increase total costs for solar companies working in Nigeria.

Other countries in Africa have also been slow to develop solar energy. Africa has one-fifth of the solar energy capacity of Germany. Just two percent of so-called clean energy investment goes to Africa.

Najim Animashaun is director of Nova Power, one of Nigeria's stalled solar projects. He said, "[If] the same project [is] put in Nigeria and Denmark; the Danish project will get funding for [a] 2 to 3 percent [interest rate]." He said his project struggles to get loans at interest rates of 10 percent or higher. He said this is the case although his "solar project can produce two- and [one]-half times more power..."

Price and cost

Nigeria does not set electricity prices that are high enough to recover the cost of generation. As a result, companies that distribute power cannot pay producers enough to cover the cost of generation. The power production industry depends on the government to supply the difference. This situation worries lenders.

Current estimates say the government owes power producers $2.7 billion. This situation makes it difficult to get loans. Some have suggested that the World Bank should guarantee loans for solar projects. But Nigeria's government does not want to face possible large payments if electricity projects fail.

Edu Okeke is the managing director of Azura Power, which is involved in a stalled 100-megawatt solar project in Nigeria's northern Katsina State. He said without a World Bank guarantee, "...nobody will develop or finance a project with a government subsidy²..." because it can disappear.

Electricity in Nigerian communities

The lack of electricity has real effects in places like Excellent Moral School in the city of Ibadan. The school has no electricity. Founder³ Muyideen Raji said, "The entire community is not connected, including the school." Raji said the lack of power means students "...can't learn how to use computers or the internet and can't study in the evenings."

Places that are connected to the grid often experience power outages. So they use power generators⁵ that run on diesel⁶ fuel. Last year, the government removed oil subsidies⁷. Fuel prices went up.

The head of Lorat Nursery and Primary School in Ibadan, Abdulhakeem Adedoja, said the school stopped using its diesel generator⁴ because of the cost. He said the school can go for two weeks without power although it is connected to the grid. Adedoja added that students cannot complete their assignments at home.

Businesses are limited by the energy deficit⁸ too. Ebunola Akinwale owns Nature's Treat Café in Ibadan. She said she pays $1,700 per month to operate emergency generators for her four stores. "If nothing changes, I probably would have to close one or two branches," she said.

A working grid 'cheaper and cleaner'

The government says that, if Nigerians paid full price for electricity, foreign investment would come in. However, labor⁹ groups recently went on strike to protest the price increases.

Businesspeople like Akinwale support the government's position. She said electricity from the grid is "cheaper and cleaner" than her diesel generators.

But former regulatory chief Sam Amadi doubts that Nigerians "can today pay for energy consumed without subsidy." He thinks the government should offer tax reductions, payment plans and support for private solar projects. Until then, he warned electricity outages will remain common.

Words in This Story

grid -n. the system sends power from where it is generated to where is it used, which includes lines, transformers and other equipment

generate -v. to produce electricity for use by people and industry

stall ??-v. to stop suddenly because of a problem

distribute -v. to send out from a central place to widely separated places

subsidy -an effort by a government including support for an industry or payments that is meant to keep the cost of an important product lower than it would be if free market policies existed

generator -n. a machine that turns mechanical motion into alternating electrical current

cheaper -adj. less costly¹⁰

consume -v. to use something

1 grid   

n.高压输电线路网；地图坐标方格；格栅

参考例句：

• In this application,the carrier is used to encapsulate the grid.在这种情况下，要用载体把格栅密封起来。
• Modern gauges consist of metal foil in the form of a grid.现代应变仪则由网格形式的金属片组成。

2 subsidy   

n.补助金，津贴

参考例句：

• The university will receive a subsidy for research in artificial intelligence.那个大学将得到一笔人工智能研究的补助费。
• The living subsidy for senior expert's family is included in the remuneration.报酬已包含高级专家家人的生活补贴。

3 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

4 generator   

n.发电机，发生器

参考例句：

• All the while the giant generator poured out its power.巨大的发电机一刻不停地发出电力。
• This is an alternating current generator.这是一台交流发电机。

5 generators   

n.发电机，发生器( generator的名词复数 )；电力公司

参考例句：

• The factory's emergency generators were used during the power cut. 工厂应急发电机在停电期间用上了。
• Power can be fed from wind generators into the electricity grid system. 电力可以从风力发电机流入输电网。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 diesel   

n.柴油发动机，内燃机

参考例句：

• We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
• My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。

7 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

9 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

10 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。