The Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), the Federal Ministry of Environment and the British High Commission, Abuja have jointly launched an updated version of the Nigeria Energy Calculator 2050 (NECAL 2050), a bespoke energy and emissions model to assist Nigeria in achieving its climate goals.
Present at the launch were Catriona Laing CB, British High Commissioner to Nigeria; Sharon Ikeazor, Honourable Minister of State for Environment; Pauline Tallen, Honourable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development; Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Honourable Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Eli. Jidere Bala, the Director General/ CEO Energy Commission of Nigeria, and various stakeholders. Among those who joined virtually were Brendan Donegan, 2050 Calculator Programme Lead, UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy; Jessica Brislin Higgs, Senior Advisor, Mott MacDonald; and Onesmus Mwabonje from Imperial College.
Minister of Environment, sharon Ikeazor and High Commisisoner, Catriona Laing CB
The present version of the NECAL 2050 Calculator – a tool that allows users to trial different options for reducing emissions at a faster rate and to build a pathway that meets long-term emission targets to 2050 – is designed to help industries and the energy sector to set their greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, as well as to identify realistic solutions which support the implementation of Nigeria’s climate commitments, also known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
The update – the first in Africa – was delivered under the UK Government’s international 2050 Calculator programme, which is funded by the UK’s International Climate Finance, and was led by global engineering, management and development consultancy Mott MacDonald, and a consortium which includes Imperial College, Climact and Ricardo.
Nigeria has submitted updated NDCs, which include new mandates for industries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
The new NECAL 2050 Calculator reflects the prevailing policies, ongoing efforts in energy supply and demand, and proposes reference scenarios on energy production and consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from 2015 to 2050.
The new version includes updates to six sectors: Transport, buildings, industry, CO2 removal & gases, electricity and land, and bioenergy & waste.
British High Commissioner, Catriona Laing CB said: “The launch of the Nigeria Energy Calculator 2050 further strengthens bilateral collaboration between the UK and Nigeria on the clean energy transition. Nigeria’s energy sector accounts for 60 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions and the sector is also key to the delivery of Nigeria’s many development priorities; it is therefore critical to understand the options that are available to reduce emissions while matching energy supply and demand.
I look forward to seeing the NECAL2050 tool supporting different sectors of government to design and deliver high-quality policies that enhance the conditions for strong governance, growth, job creation and poverty reduction.”
Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, said: “This is an energy planning tool that enables choices in energy development pathway to be examined, along with its environmental consequences. The NECAL2050 model should form part of our national energy planning tools. This will be used in planning energy needs for Nigeria’s Vision 2050 and beyond. This will reflect Nigeria’s commitment to cleaner and more sustainable energy utilisation.”
Sharon Ikeazor, Minister of State for Environment, said: “As we gather to launch the 2nd Edition of the Nigeria Energy Calculator NECAL2050, I am more elated knowing that the completion of this policy tool could not have come at a better time than now.
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“The commitment of the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to global climate protocols and recent declaration at the UNFCCC Conference of Parties in Glasgow on meeting net-zero emissions by 2060. Towards this end, the Ministry as the national coordinating body of climate activities will leverage on this tool for policy and decision making for the implementation of Nigeria’s long-term strategy for climate change under the Paris Agreement, as well as identify realistic solutions towards supporting the implementation of Nigeria’s NDCs.”
Jessica Brislin-Higgs, senior climate and sustainability consultant for Mott MacDonald and programme country manager for Nigeria, noted: “Nigeria is a pioneer – it is the first African country to produce an updated Calculator model. We would like to acknowledge the expertise and diligence of the core technical team at the Energy Commission of Nigeria, with support from the Federal Ministry of Environment, who have worked tirelessly on this project. These efforts are highly appreciated and will go far towards changing the trajectory of sustainable development in Nigeria.”
The NECAL 2050 is an open-source, user-friendly model. Unlike other energy models, the tool can be used by governments, stakeholders, academia and the public alike, including schoolchildren, to inform debate about which policies will be most effective in tackling energy challenges and reducing emissions.