By Patience Asoro
The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu has called for production of indigenous solar cells in the country even as he said that producing the panels in the country will force down the unit cost by 60 percent.
According to him, the production of indigenous solar cells will have a positive attendant effect on many industries in the country.
The Minister made the call during a virtual meeting he had with the Director General (DG) of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) based in Dubai U.A.E, Mr. Francesco La Camera in his office in Abuja.
Onu said that the indigenous production of solar cells will drop the price of solar panels by 60% and aid Nigeria’s transformation into a green economy.
The Minister further sought the assistance of IRENA on Institutional Capacity building for research in enhancing green hydrogen energy, adding that Nigeria has immense gas reserves.
Dr. Onu said renewable energy should be fully exploited as solar energy would enable rural communities to have access to sustainable electricity power.
On Foreign Direct Investment, he said the activities of Nigeria as a member nation of the agency will help make renewable energy more available.
He said, “We want to make our solar cells in Nigeria, more foreign investors should be encouraged to come into Nigeria, which has a huge market of 200million people”.
The Minister said Nigeria is committed to ensure the protection and preservation of the planet for future generations. He added that Nigeria will participate and fulfil all its obligations as a member state of IRENA.
Earlier, the Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Mr. Francesco La Camera hailed Nigeria’s commitment to the agency.
He said that the agency will collaborate further with Nigeria in developing renewable energy and ways to boost Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Nigeria.
ADEMU JOSEPHINE and OTUYEMI ADETAYO, OF THE PRESS/PR DEPT SENT IN THE NEWS PIECE FOR THE MINISTRY.