Nigeria Needs Long-term Energy Strategy To Sustain AI, Tech Growth – NAEC

The Acting Chairman of the Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), Engr. Dr. Anthony Ekedegwa, has said that for Nigeria to position itself as a major player in the global technology and artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, the country must adopt a long-term energy strategy to ensure sustainable growth and competitiveness.

Ekedegwa noted that despite Nigeria’s abundant natural resources, including oil, gas and minerals, the country continued to grapple with an energy crisis that threatens its digital ambitions.

According to him, only about 61 per cent of Nigerians currently have access to electricity, while frequent power outages continued to undermine the nation’s attractiveness to high-tech industries that depend on stable power supply.

He explained that the significant gap between electricity generation and demand, coupled with persistent grid instability and dependence on expensive diesel generators, has continued to hinder development across several sectors.

“The critical role of Nuclear Science and Technology in driving Nigeria’s socio-economic development and the urgent need for the country to deliberately position itself as a leading player in Africa’s nuclear energy and technology landscape.

“Russia looks like one of the strongest prospect for a strategic nuclear power partnerships,” he stated.

Ekedegwa warned that Nigeria’s growing digital economy was constrained by inadequate energy infrastructure, stressing that the country risked missing out on the AI revolution without reliable electricity.

“As demand grows, experts warn that existing data centres are operating at a fraction of their capacity, with none currently ready to support the full scale of the AI boom. Nigerian startups are often forced to rely on computing power hosted abroad, while operators depend on diesel generation to maintain uptime, driving up costs and reducing profit margins for enterprises.

“This dependence extends further: around 80% of Nigeria’s data is stored outside the continent, linking energy reliability not only to economic growth, but also to digital sovereignty.

“Yet infrastructure alone is not enough to make the jump to the next level. Scaling digital capacity requires a workforce capable of building, operating and maintaining complex systems. This is why Nigeria has begun investing in technical talent development,” he noted.

The NAEC chairman highlighted ongoing government efforts to build the country’s digital workforce, noting that the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy launched the 3 Million Technical Talent Programme in 2023 in partnership with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), with the goal of producing three million technology specialists by 2027.

He also pointed to innovation hubs such as the Ilorin Innovation Hub, which are supporting startups and engineering skills development across the country.

Ekedegwa said efforts were equally being made to improve electricity access within educational institutions.

“Efforts are also underway to improve energy access within the education sector. The African Development Bank has financed hybrid solar power installations at eight universities as part of the $200 million Nigeria Electrification Project.

“However, these initiatives ultimately hinge on two factors: stable baseload power and a sustainable talent pipeline. One without the other limits how far the country can go in realising its digital ambitions.”

He observed that Nigeria’s electricity generation remained heavily dependent on fossil fuels, which contribute about 80 per cent of power generation, while the balance comes almost entirely from hydropower stations including Kainji, Jebba, Shiroro and Zungeru.

“Nigeria’s energy mix remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels, which account for around 80% of generation, with the remainder coming almost entirely from hydropower plants such as Kainji, Jebba, Shiroro and Zungeru. Both fossil fuel and hydropower generation come with structural constraints.

“Despite having large crude oil reserves, Nigeria lacks the refineries to process them, thus leading to a paradox in which diesel and gasoline are imported from abroad – this can create a dependency on potential market price fluctuations.”

He added that hydropower generation is equally vulnerable because it depends on consistent rainfall patterns.

“Against this backdrop, the need for a stable and scalable baseload source becomes evident – one that can also support workforce development. This is where nuclear energy enters the discussion. Nigeria already operates a research reactor and is considering building nuclear plants of its own. Such projects typically involve long-term commitments to training personnel.”

Ekedegwa said Nigeria is strengthening cooperation with international organisations and countries to develop nuclear expertise and capacity.

“On the education front, Nigeria is pursuing both international and regional cooperation. Collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency supports training in nuclear science and safety, while the African Regional Cooperative Agreement addresses knowledge-sharing across the continent.

“At the national level, the Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC) works with universities to develop nuclear science and engineering programmes, including through the Nuclear Technology Education Programme and specialised research centres at institutions such as Ahmadu Bello University and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

“International partnerships take these initiatives one step further. Cooperation with China – which comes in the form of recently-signed memorandums on nuclear energy – includes provisions for personnel education and training. Russia is another valuable international partner.”

He disclosed that in 2023, NAEC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Tomsk Polytechnic University in Russia to strengthen collaboration in nuclear education and training.

According to him, the university is among several Russian institutions, including the National Nuclear Research University, Ural Federal University, Kazan State Technological University and Peter the Great’s Saint Petersburg Polytechnic University, where Nigerian students are receiving specialised education in nuclear science under programmes supported by Rosatom.

Ekedegwa said these initiatives demonstrate that Nigeria is pursuing a comprehensive strategy that combines energy expansion with human capital development.

He maintained that nuclear energy could provide the critical link between the country’s digital aspirations and energy security.

“Nuclear energy represents a nexus. Scaling digital infrastructure and AI requires both reliable power and highly skilled professionals – and nuclear projects demand progress on both simultaneously.”

He concluded that Nigeria’s success in the digital era will ultimately depend on how effectively it aligns its energy policy with long-term talent development.

“Nigeria’s ability to realise its digital ambitions will depend on how well the country aligns its energy policy with long-term talent development – a challenge that will shape the country’s trajectory in the coming decades.”