Lagos, Nigeria – Na wah! E be like say Bank of Industry (BoI) don scatter over ₦1.27 trillion to businesses for 14 sectors in 2024 alone. Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Olasupo Olusi, yan dis one during di 10th Nigeria Energy Forum (NEF) wey happen virtually on Tuesday for Lagos. If person no sabi, the CEO send Ms. Mabel Ndagi, di Executive Director for Public Sector and Intervention Programme, to deliver di gist. E no bi small matter.
Olusi talk say dem don support over 900,000 jobs since dem start. BoI dey lead di charge to transform Nigeria’s industry, helping all kinds of businesses make dem expand, increase value, and create more jobs. Na wetin we dey talk since? Make dem no dey slack o!
“Di ₦200bn Federal Government MSME Intervention Fund, wey BoI dey manage, dey provide affordable money for small businesses through three special windows. We get ₦50bn for Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme, ₦75 billion for MSME Intervention Fund and another ₦75 billion for Manufacturing Sector Fund. Na serious selection dey go on here,” he explain.
He add say BoI dey increase investment for green finance and circular economy solutions, helping industries wey dey blend renewable energy with dem work. “We go continue to dey lead di train when e come to financing renewable energy infrastructure, clean manufacturing and climate-smart processes,” Olusi yarn.
Addition, Ms. Jadesola Rawa, Senior Associate from All On, come share matter about di Tertiary Institutions Energy Innovation Challenge (TIEC 3.0), wey dem co-create as main sponsor. Di challenge dey help students wey dey try to find energy solutions for communities wey no dey serve well.
Mrs. Bamise Olanrewaju, NEF Director of Innovation, show off di winning teams dem, like Febechi Uzomadike from Cross Rivers State University, wey dey run Green Preserve; Justice Esiri from University of Lagos with AI Hybrid Agro Dryer; and Fubara David from University of Port Harcourt with Keytric. Na fresh ideas, dem show us di way! Dem dey progress on product development and community engagement thanks to help dem get from mentors and experts.
Inga Stefoniwicz, Head of Green Growth, EU Delegation for Nigeria, come carry better news. She talk say EU go invest in smart, clean and secure infrastructure for energy and other key areas for di globe to reduce inequality. Na dem dey push di Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative wey go fit reach at least 100 million people with sustainable energy by 2030.
“We don drop about €300 million since 2008 to Nigeria’s power sector, plus di current NIP wey dey on ground,” she talk.
Mr. John Sloan from Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) come talk wetin dey happen for di green energy move. He believe say dis transition fit create jobs for di young folks wey dey live around mineral-producing areas.
Mr. Adekunle Makinde, NEF Co-Chair, talk say if Nigeria fit manufacture lithium properly, e go boost di economy, create quality jobs, and protect di environment. Na serious matter wey dem tak for NEF!
As di NEF dey gather energy for dis initiative, Dr. Daniel Adeuyi, NEF Group Chairman, show say up to 400 entries from 38 countries inside di Africa Youth Energy Innovation Challenge (AEIC) don enter di scene. More than 30% of di teams na young women, and dey shine for di future!
Dis na di 10th Africa Youth Energy Innovation Challenge wey dem run, and di winners go showcase their progress for di 11th Nigeria Energy Forum next year. Di theme na “Upscaling Value Addition for Sustainable Industrialisation” and e go happen for Lagos in July. Na serious time for di future!
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