LAGOS, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria's commitment to attain a 30 percent renewable and low-carbon energy mix at low cost by 2030 is clear, firm and unshaken, a top official said Tuesday.
Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola reiterated the government's commitment at the third edition of the Africa Today Summit in Abuja, the nation's capital.
The summit is a platform designed to discuss issues relating to African economies with a view to advising governments on best policy measures to improve their economy.
Fashola said the government's commitment to change the power outlook for Nigeria and to exploit opportunities for renewable energy at a low cost and low-carbon mix was being driven by necessity, contract and policies.
The minister recalled that available power in May 2015 was 2,690 MW, 85 percent of which generated by gas-fired plants.
This, he said, made the nation vulnerable whenever there was a gas shortage or damage to gas pipelines and assets.
This resulted in the government's plan to diversify energy sources and optimize other assets for power production by producing an energy mix that targeted 30 percent renewable energy by 2030, the former Lagos state governor told his audience.
According to him, the government has signed 14 solar power purchase agreement with developers with the potential to deliver over 1,000 MW of solar power.
The government is in advanced stages of procurement for six small hydro dams for private sector operation.
Fashola said the government has expanded the national grid capacity for on-grid power from 5,000 MW in 2015 to 6,900 MW in September.
The approval of mini-grid regulations to guide registration and licensing for small consumers and off-grid developers has started yielding results, he said.
