Transition to Sustainable Energy as a Tool for Decarbonisation in Nigeria: Regulatory Challenges

Global energy mix is shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Most developed nations are working towards decarbonizing their economy while ensuring sustainable energy. This energy transformation is also expected to gain momentum in the developing world as new ecosystems are forming and new technologies are emerging. These developments in technology that developed nations have keyed into are helping to grow renewable, develop new energy carriers, improve energy efficiency, reduce emissions and create new markets for carbon and other by-products as part of an increasingly circular economy. At COP26, it was made compulsory for developing countries to transition from fossil fuels to a decarbonized economy. Climate change financing is now viewed as part of adaptation, mitigation and economic development measures. These measures are expected to help reduce the harsh effects of global climate change. This is not the case in Nigeria where many of these commonly pursued steps to decarbonisation, such as increased electrification, wide-scale use of renewable energy and intensifying energy efficiency measures are mired by regulatory challenges. This article using doctrinal research methodology aims to explore how developing countries like Nigeria with heavy reliance on fossil fuel can accelerate decarbonisation over the next decade and achieve the timelines for the 2030 National Determined Contributions (NDCs), which has been advanced from 2025 to the end of 2022 at the COP26.