REPORT: Generators responsible for deaths of 1,500 Nigerians every year

FIJ

At least 1,500 Nigerians die annually due to the use of generating sets, Sustainable Energy For All, an Austria-based organisation, has revealed.

In a report titled ‘Beyond Gensets: Advancing the Energy Transition in Lagos’, the organisation reported that Nigerians spend $10 billion (N7.6 trillion) on the use and maintenance of small generating sets.

For context, the quoted N7.6 trillion is approximately 27.6 percent of Nigeria’s 2024 budget of N27.5 trillion.

The report added that the cost of electricity from a petrol-powered generating set is 83 per cent costlier than using power from the Nigeria’s electricity grid. In hindsight, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) said in 2023 that just 12.12 million Nigerians were customers with distribution companies (DisCos).

The report stated that generating sets maintenance and powering is the largest cost to many small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which on monthly average is between N20,000 to N40,000.

It also pointed out that two out of every generator users were suffering from impaired hearing, while up to 70 per cent of the total population of users are exposed to the risk of lung cancer.

Described as “more than just a study but a catalyst for action”, the report offers insights that systemically should drive Distributed Solar PV (DPV) initiatives such as rooftop solar with backup storage that reduce reliance on fossil fuels, starting in Lagos and scaling across the nation.

THIS STORY FIRST APPEARED IN FIJ