NIGERIA as a country suffers from a poor supply of power. As a result of this, we use alternative sources which causes air pollution from their release of unsafe gas into the environment. In regards to this, Nigerians should recognize the importance of renewable and sustainable source of energy to solve their problems.
Renewable energy often referred to as clean energy, comes from natural sources or processes that are constantly restored. They are collected from renewable resources such as sunlight, wind, the movement of water and geothermal heat. They are used in generating electricity, cooking and other industrial and household activities. The use of these sources of energy could help reduce the amount of unhealthy gases released into the air which causes global warming. Many Nigerians are already enjoying the benefits of the use of these renewable sources of energy, one of such users is our host today. An environmentalist icon, Habiba Ali.
Habiba Ali is the managing director and CEO of Sosai Renewable Energies Company in Nigeria. She also co-founded the Developmental Association for Renewable Energies (DARE), and a member of the Partnership for Clean Indoor Air and the Nigerian Energy Network. She has an MBA and a bachelor’s degree in accounting.
She seeks to get rid of unsustainable energy in Northern Nigeria and provide empowerment for the women in the region. An unhealthy childhood traumatic experience of inhaaling so much smoke into her luyngs during the time she spent helping her mother at a roadside resturant spurred her to think of a solution that will take the smoke off the air and impact the health of women in Nigeria; which made her to launch her company, Sosai Renewable Energies Company.
Habiba founded Sosai Renewable Energies Company in 2010. She did this with the hope of empowering communities through the provision of renewable energy solutions, technology and an awareness regarding the use of renewable energy.
Sosai Renewable Energies Company works mostly with women to use and resell renewable energy for their empowerment and to improve cookstoves for women across Northern Nigeria. With this type of energy in Nigeria, the women are free from exposing themselves to unprofiting energy.
Sosai Renewable Energies Company is one of the largest distributors across Nigeria. They provide consulting services to help bring clean, and quality renewable energy to the citizens of Nigeria. They also produce renewable energy goods such as solar lamps, water purifiers, solar panels, etc.
The Renewable Energy Master Plan (REMP) of Nigeria seeks to increase the supply of renewable electricity from 13% of total electricity generation in 2015 to 23% in 2025 and 36% by 2030. Renewable electricity would then account for 10% of Nigerian total energy consumption by 2025.
With this in mind, the country is looking forward to changing its source of power to an energy that can be renewed. These can help solve the global warming issue experienced worldwide. Since this source of energy require a lot of funding to execute it, those who have risen to tackle the challenge are mostly private owners of energy distribution companies.
Habiba Ali mentioned that in order for renewable energy to be widely used in Nigeria, people should engage in proper research on how renewable energy works and why it is needed. The use of renewable energy may not be as it is supposed to be, but with time, it will get there.
She said that the financing to back up the whole energy drive is not there. Awareness should be made to the public on why renewable energy is important and how it works. If the proper enlightenment and financing is supplied, renewable energy will be seen in all neighbourhoods.
This change will help save Nigerians from the continuous purchasing of fuel such as petrol, kerosene, and provide enough resources to solve other challenges.
Ali is doing her best in support to the system by supporting all the organizations that she is a member of which include the Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria, the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Alliance, and the Nigeria Alliance for Clean Cook Stoves, who develop the policies of sustaining Nigerians with renewable energy, review them and submit them to the Government.
She also said, “We are also on the backend pursuing all that we can, having government to at least sit down with us and have discussions when it comes to renewable energy.”
A total of 50,000 improved cooking stoves have been distributed in Kaduna by Habiba Ali. This was possible because of the finance backing it up. Ali says, “For us to grow bigger than this, there is need for some sort of financing that is put in place or allow payment plan. Currently, there is enough financing going round to push other parts of developmental challenges but I don’t think enough is being pushed out into behavioural change of cooking habits that we currently have.”
She went on to say that her focus on women is due to the use of energy in the home. The woman is the one who makes sure there is energy; to cook, to help the children read their books, do assignments and other activities. The woman is the one who needs energy more. So when this energy is not there, there is problem in managing the home effectively.
Habiba Ali studied Accounting for her first degree and ventured into energy solutions. When asked about her change in interest, she said, “I saw where renewable energy was going against the conventional energy, especially firewood, cooking stove that we use and I realized that this is a better form of energy. It is more reliable, cleaner and everything. That is why I ventured into energy.”
Habiba Ali received an award from the female ambassadors in Nigeria. This group of women came together for the first time to award people for their efforts and contributions to the society. Ali was named among the first winners which she saw as a big honour.
