Opinion
Energy Conservation Culture
Failure is not failure, neither is waste wasted, if it sweeps away illusion and lights the road to a better future – H. G. Wells (1866 – 1946).
There is currently a growing trend in global economy which nations that are serious about moving forward would do well to embrace and cultivate. It has its origin in the Jewish scriptures, with particular reference to the story of Onan (Genesis 38) involving the wasting away of valued seeds, out of mean selfishness. Onan did not get away with his Prank and so, a valuable economic lesson is provided, namely, that tears, agonies, poverty, etc, do not come by accident.
Efficient and effective distribution of electric power is a major challenge in Nigeria and the consequences of such failure stare us on the face daily. But the larger problem is not the generation or distribution of electricity but abuses and non-conservation of electricity by consumers. There are shocking research findings on how Nigerian consumers abuse and waste energy, especially in public institutions. Where electricity supply is available and regular, fans and several other electric appliances can remain working for twenty-four hours, whether they are being used or not.
The common-sense or discipline of a putting off and disconnecting energy supply when not needed is alien to Nigerian consumers. Such uncharitable habit and lapses have resulted in fire outbreak in several places. Perhaps, with wide use of pre-paid electric metres consumers may learn the value of energy conservation by putting off appliances when their services are not needed. Those who do not pay for the services which they enjoy tend to be more care-free with available energy.
The economic hard times which Nigerians are going through currently should serve as a lesson, so that people can learn to ask why things happen the ways they do. Through tears and pains, it may be possible to learn, appreciate, value and conserve what we waste daily. What lessons are Nigerians picking up from what is happening to them daily? Until a major change takes place along this line, the nation would hardly move forward.
Energy conservation culture should be embraced and applied in every activity outside a responsible use of electric power. For example, many Nigerians do not appreciate the truth that talking is an energy-sapping activity, and that good health can be promoted by conserving the energy spent in unnecessary talks. Is it not true that many people talk too much and carelessly too? Obviously, talkativeness goes along with a frivolous lifestyle, because, talking reduces deep reflection and psychic sensing of events. Frivolous people talk much.
As a means of relief from frustrations and hard times, amative activity is the easiest and quickest remedy that many people resort to. The result is not only the expending of vital energy but also population explosion. The time is over-due for Nigerians to see the need to reduce the sources of personal stress, one of which is large family size. With regards to population issue, it is obvious that quality rather than number makes a more national economic sense. Tension depletes personal energy.
The value of experiencing tears, agonies and frustration arising from past errors lies in the opportunity that such experiences provide, to map out a better future. It is never too late to learn, neither is it too late to make a change, if the will to do so is there. The starting point to effect such change and new orientation, is to embrace and apply the energy conservation culture. This is an orientation which must start and can best be managed from the point of every individual, himself.
All forms of spending, ranging from money to everything else, come within where the energy conservation culture must be put into practice. Any valuable asset which requires some personal energy to acquire, should be regarded as an investment or possession which should not be given away or wasted. The culture or habit of demanding or taking anything from another person, without giving an equivalent value in return, must be done away with. That parasitic culture must stop!
To consume electrical energy without paying for the service or to waste it because it is readily available, is a part of the parasitic culture that does no good. In any private or public transaction where there is an inequilibrium, the result would always bring sad consequences, sooner or later. A part of the move to restore equilibrium in the society would involve putting energy conservation culture in practice. Wasting of resources is a vital issue Nigerians must address.
Dr Amirize is a retired lecturer, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt.
Bright Amirize
From all indications, Nigeria possesses enough human and material resources to become a true economic powerhouse in Africa. According to the National Population Commission (NPC, 2023), the country’s population has grown steadily within the last decade, presently standing at about 220 million people—mostly young, vibrant, and innovative. Nigeria also remains the sixth-largest oil producer in the world, with enormous reserves of gas, fertile agricultural land, and human capital.
Yet, despite this enormous potential, the country continues to grapple with underdevelopment, poverty, unemployment, and insecurity. Recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS, 2023) show that about 129 million Nigerians currently live below the poverty line. Most families can no longer afford basic necessities, even as the government continues to project a rosy economic picture.
The Subsidy Question
The removal of fuel subsidy in 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been one of the most controversial policy decisions in Nigeria’s recent history. According to the president, subsidy removal was designed to reduce fiscal burden, unify the foreign exchange rate, attract investment, curb inflation, and discourage excessive government borrowing.
While these objectives are theoretically sound, the reality for ordinary Nigerians has been severe hardship. Fuel prices more than tripled, transportation costs surged, and food inflation—already high—rose above 30% (NBS, 2023). The World Bank (2023) estimates that an additional 7.1 million Nigerians were pushed into poverty after subsidy removal.
A Critical Economic View
As an economist, I argue that the problem was not subsidy removal itself—which was inevitable—but the timing, sequencing, and structural gaps in Nigeria’s implementation.
- Structural Miscalculation
Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries remain nonfunctional. By removing subsidies without local refining capacity, the government exposed the economy to import-price pass-through effects—where global oil price shocks translate directly into domestic inflation. This was not just a timing issue but a fundamental policy miscalculation.
- Neglect of Social Safety Nets
Countries like Indonesia (2005) and Ghana (2005) removed subsidies successfully only after introducing cash transfers, transport vouchers, and food subsidies for the poor (World Bank, 2005). Nigeria, however, implemented removal abruptly, shifting the fiscal burden directly onto households without protection.
- Failure to Secure Food and Energy Alternatives
Fuel subsidy removal amplified existing weaknesses in agriculture and energy. Instead of sequencing reforms, government left Nigerians without refinery capacity, renewable energy alternatives, or mechanized agricultural productivity—all of which could have cushioned the shock.
Political and Public Concerns
Prominent leaders have echoed these concerns. Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, described the subsidy removal as “good but wrongly timed.” Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party also faulted the government’s hasty approach. Human rights activists like Obodoekwe Stive stressed that refineries should have been made functional first, to reduce the suffering of citizens.
This is not just political rhetoric—it reflects a widespread economic reality. When inflation climbs above 30%, when purchasing power collapses, and when households cannot meet basic needs, the promise of reform becomes overshadowed by social pain.
Broader Implications
The consequences of this policy are multidimensional:
- Inflationary Pressures – Food inflation above 30% has made nutrition unaffordable for many households.
- Rising Poverty – 7.1 million Nigerians have been newly pushed into poverty (World Bank, 2023).
- Middle-Class Erosion – Rising transport, rent, and healthcare costs are squeezing household incomes.
- Debt Concerns – Despite promises, government borrowing has continued, raising sustainability questions.
- Public Distrust – When government promises savings but citizens feel only pain, trust in leadership erodes.
In effect, subsidy removal without structural readiness has widened inequality and eroded social stability.
Missed Opportunities
Nigeria’s leaders had the chance to approach subsidy removal differently:
- Refinery Rehabilitation – Ensuring local refining to reduce exposure to global oil price shocks.
- Renewable Energy Investment – Diversifying energy through solar, hydro, and wind to reduce reliance on imported petroleum.
- Agricultural Productivity – Mechanization, irrigation, and smallholder financing could have boosted food supply and stabilized prices.
- Social Safety Nets – Conditional cash transfers, food vouchers, and transport subsidies could have protected the most vulnerable.
Instead, reform came abruptly, leaving citizens to absorb all the pain while waiting for theoretical long-term benefits.
Conclusion: Reform With a Human Face
Fuel subsidy removal was inevitable, but Nigeria’s approach has worsened hardship for millions. True reform must go beyond fiscal savings to protect citizens.
Economic policy is not judged only by its efficiency but by its humanity. A well-sequenced reform could have balanced fiscal responsibility with equity, ensuring that ordinary Nigerians were not crushed under the weight of sudden change.
Nigeria has the resources, population, and resilience to lead Africa’s economy. But leadership requires foresight. It requires policies that are inclusive, humane, and strategically sequenced.
Reform without equity is displacement of poverty, not development. If Nigeria truly seeks progress, its policies must wear a human face.
References
- National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). (2023). Poverty and Inequality Report. Abuja.
- National Population Commission (NPC). (2023). Population Estimates. Abuja.
- World Bank. (2023). Nigeria Development Update. Washington, DC.
- World Bank. (2005). Fuel Subsidy Reforms: Lessons from Indonesia and Ghana. Washington, DC.
- OPEC. (2023). Annual Statistical Bulletin. Vienna.
By: Amarachi Amaugo
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