If one percent of the Nigerian land mass can be devoted to solar panel, the country will be able to generate 600,000 megawatts of electricity, the project manager of the Bank of Industry and United Nations Development Programme’s Access to Renewable Energy Project, Mr Segun Adaju, has said.

Mr Adaju, who said this at the Second Renewable Energy Investment Forum in Abuja Wednesday, said though the country may not be able to power itself with only renewable energy now, it can do with gradual development of the sector.

“I think the energy mix in Nigeria is less than 5% from renewable energy. So, over 95% of our energy needs is from fossil fuel. It has been estimated that if we cover 1% of Nigerian land mass with solar panels at 25% capacity and 40% efficiency level, you will generate 600,000 megawatts of energy. In Nigeria we are generating 4000,” Adaju said.

He added that the renewable energy will provide more jobs than the conventional power generation method even as it is good for the environment.

The General Manager Operations of the Bank of Industry, Joseph Oluwasegun Babatunde, said if Nigeria continues to rely on fossil fuel and hydropower projects, there is no way it can get to the promise land adding that the tendency for other nations of the world is to go towards renewable energy.

He explained that most of the agro-waste products that are thrown away or burnt could be easily converted to energy.

The Access to Renewable Energy Project is currently engaged in capacity building and raising awareness about the potentials of renewable energy in Nigeria.