Nigeria docile as ECOWAS launches efficient lighting initiative

A recent meeting of government representatives from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has successfully established a regionally coordinated framework to transit to energy efficient lighting with Senegal given the mandate to drive the initiative.  The strategy identifies the complete phase-out of inefficient incandescent lamps by 2020, the latest.  The Ministry of Energy […]

A recent meeting of government representatives from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has successfully established a regionally coordinated framework to transit to energy efficient lighting with Senegal given the mandate to drive the initiative.  
The strategy identifies the complete phase-out of inefficient incandescent lamps by 2020, the latest.  
The Ministry of Energy and Mines of the Republic of Senegal agreed to sponsor all events of efficient lighting initiative, at the request of the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) in order to rally other ECOWAS member states.
The development followed the successful completion of a workshop for the articulation of a regional strategy for Energy Efficient lighting held in Dakar, Senegal, hosted by the ECREEE and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) en.lighten initiative, with support of the Club of National Agencies and Structures in Charge of Rural Electrification (Club-ER).
Dr. Victor Fodeke, a climate change expert and adviser to the African Union on climate told Daily Trust that energy efficient lighting remained one of the best options in addressing the current power situation in the country without compromising on the country’s effort at mitigating climate change.
Fodeke, who noted that previous efforts to phase-out incandescent lighting lamps in the country failed, said that any move to transit must be based on Light Emitting Diode (LED) as there are devoid of mercury.
He called on the federal government to formulate a deliberate policy that would phase out incandescent lighting lamps within two years, adding that with energy saving lamps Nigeria would be able to increase access to energy for more Nigerians.
“Rather than building more power plants that would emit carbon dioxide, efforts should be channelled towards phasing out incandescent bulbs which is everywhere in the country,” he said.
“LED is a highly energy efficient lighting technology, and has the potential to fundamentally change the future of lighting in Nigeria, residential LEDs use at least 75 per cent less energy, and last 25 times longer, than incandescent lighting,” he added.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) a transition away from general service incandescent lamps to more efficient lighting would save ECOWAS region an estimated US$ 220 million each year in energy costs.  West African nations together could save a total of 2.4 terawatt hours of electricity, which is equivalent 6.7 per cent of the total yearly energy consumption.  The savings would be enough to power over 1.2 million households.