Opinion
Wind As Alternative Power Source
Apart from unemployment and insecurity, the greatest problem Nigeria faces today is inadequate power supply. It is a general monster that haunts every home, every Nigerian irrespective of status.
Every successive government makes promises towards improving power supply in the country, with huge budgets allocated to it on annual basis. Yet, power supply has remained epileptic, leaving the country’s economy more devastated and the citizenry more impoverished.
Research has, however, shown that the country’s power supply can improve with less cost if the government can harness some other sources of energy apart from water (dam). One of such sources is the wind (wind mill).
Nigeria is endowed with several energy sources such as sun (solar), water (dam), wind (wind mill) and lignite. Ironically, the government has, in its energy policies, concentrated only on water (dam) for its power generation and this has not produced the expected results in electricity generation for the citizens.
Wind energy as an alternative source of power, is the conversion of wind into a useful form of energy such as using wind turbines to make turbines, wind mill for mechanical power, wind pump for water pumping or drainage. It is renewable, clean and produces no greenhouse gas emission during operation.
Wind turbine is a power system, consisting of two or three blades propelled by the wind and attached to shaft with a gear mechanics. Wind mill dates back to over a hundred years ago. Technological improvements made it more powerful, robust, easier to deploy, flexible and adaptable to a lot of climate conditions. It is now referred to as wind turbines.
The wind regime in Nigeria is generally moderate in the south except in coastal areas, and strongest in the hilly regions of the north, according to the Nigeria Rural Electrification Agency. The mountainous terrains, especially in the Middle Belts and the northern fringes of the country where prime wind conditions exist hold high potentials for exploration and development in electricity.
Overdependence on dams for power supply has led to a tremendous shortage of power supply in Nigeria. No nation depends on only one or two sources of power generation, no matter how abundant. That is why even in the United States and Europe with very stable and highly integrated variety of power supply systems, the market for standby generators and backup UPS batteries is still huge.
In 2008, wind power produced about 1.5% of worldwide electricity usage; and it is growing rapidly. Several countries have achieved relatively high levels of wind power generation, such as 19% of stationary electricity production in Denmark, 11% in Spain and Portugal, and 7% in Germany and the Republic of Ireland. As of May, 2009, eight countries around the world had started using wind power on a commercial basis.
Studies commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and carried out by Lay Maher International have confirmed great potentials in wind energy. It has also identified possible sites for viable wind energy projects across Nigeria. The mean wind speed at a height of 10m above the ground ranges between 2.3m/s and 3.4m/s for selected sites along the coastal areas, and 3.0m/s to 3.9m/s for high land areas and semi-arid regions.
The rule is that the higher you go, the windier it gets. Wind turbines are normally installed at heights between 18m and 90m above the ground. Several researches have shown that in areas with annual mean wind speeds of 3.5m/s – 4.0m/s or greater, wind power system can deliver electricity or pump water at cost lower than photo voltaic, diesels, or grid extension.
And compared to fossil fuel power sources, the environmental effects of wind energy are relatively minor. Given the unsteady power supply in Nigeria and the potentials of other several sources of energy the country is endowed with, there is the need for Nigeria to diversify and integrate wind energy into her power sources.
Solar energy has already been integrated, with many street lights being powered by solar cells. Therefore, using wind energy will not only serve as supplementary energy source needed to generate adequate power supply in the country, it has the potentials of reducing cost of generating electricity and as well providing employment opportunities for the teeming population.
Harry wrote from Port Harcourt.
Evelyn Harry
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