A cross section of dignitaries during the public presentation in Abuja on Wednesday
The Director General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi, has said that real-life and transparent data are crucial in the nation’s quest to save energy and protect the environment.
He made this assertion in Abuja during the public presentation of the industrial energy efficiency (IEE) database developed under the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and Global Environment Facility (GEF)’s project titled Improving Nigeria’s Industrial Energy Performance and Resource Efficient Cleaner Production through Programmatic Approaches and the Promotion of Innovation in Clean Technology Solutions (NIG IEE/RECP) project.
Abdullahi explained that the commission, under the project, has been focused on strengthening national industrial energy efficiency policies and regulatory frameworks towards the adoption of UNIDO’s Energy Management Systems Standards (EnMS/ESO/ISO 50001) in Nigeria. He maintained that reliable data is required for evidence-based policymaking on energy saving and environmental protection.
According to him, without comprehensive knowledge of how industries acquire and use energy, any attempt to develop policies that promote energy management systems and energy supply optimisation would be baseless and counterproductive.
“Most manufacturing industries in Nigeria are currently experiencing hard times because of epileptic power supply. This has led to many industries closing down while some are relocating outside the country. Policymakers like you and me, who are concerned with the effects of poor energy access in the country, are expected to develop appropriate policy and legislative frameworks based on actual data to reduce these negative impacts.
“The most obvious area for action is to improve the reliability of the energy supply by minimising energy wastage through the adoption of energy efficiency and conservation best practices. Data collection, storage, retrieval, and analysis are the bedrock for effective energy management. It is often said that you cannot manage or monitor what you don’t measure,” he added.
Represented by the commission’s director of ICT, Engr. Steven Adedayo, Abdullahi stressed that the popularisation and dissemination of the IEE Database is aimed at enhancing stakeholders’ understanding of the need for data keeping as a prerequisite for mainstreaming energy efficiency best practices into the nation’s development goals and actions.
In his remarks, the national programme officer of UNIDO, Dr. Reuben Bamidele, commended the ECN for implementing the project and underscored the importance of reliable data. According to him, without data, planning becomes meaningless and ineffective. He expressed optimism that the database being developed by ECN would significantly improve how industrial processes are managed, with a wider impact on the energy sector.
Also speaking, the director-general of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Segun Ajayi-Kadir, noted that the public presentation workshop reflected a collective effort to raise awareness and engage stakeholders on the benefits of industrial energy efficiency, such as saving money, cutting energy use, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Nigeria’s industrial sector.
Represented by the director of MAN’s Abuja liaison secretariat, Adeyemi Folorunsho, Ajayi-Kadir stated that the forum would foster the synergy required to mainstream energy efficiency into Nigeria’s industrial development strategy. “It will also strengthen national industrial energy efficiency policies and regulatory frameworks, paving the way for the full adoption of Energy Management Systems Standards in Nigeria. This forum presents an opportunity for stakeholders to engage directly with project partners, share their expectations, and express their commitments towards advancing industrial energy efficiency in the country,” he said.
In a separate interview with journalists, the industrial energy efficiency consultant to the ECN, Engr. Okon Ekpenyong, emphasised the practical urgency of measurement and baseline assessment. He explained that assessment teams had visited plants to determine how much energy is consumed, where it is used, and when peak demands occur. “You cannot manage what you don’t measure,” he said, noting that findings revealed stark realities, as several factories have shut down because of soaring tariffs, while an unstable power supply has forced others off the national grid.
Ekpenyong further explained that some manufacturers have migrated to gas-to-power solutions and compressed natural gas generation to sustain operations, a costly coping strategy that highlights systemic gaps in supply and pricing. He argued that the IEE project provides clarity on where operational improvements, control upgrades, and targeted retrofits will yield rapid returns. He urged firms to view energy efficiency not as a compliance exercise but as an investment in competitiveness and sustainability.
The stakeholders agreed that access to credible data remains the bedrock of reforms that could unlock cleaner industrial growth, reduce energy costs, and protect the environment.
