Energy resources in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is more than enough to satisfy its overall

energy requirements if they are well developed and evenly distributed, but unfortunately

SSA remains the central point of global energy poverty. Presently, around 588 and 783

million persons in SSA do not have access to clean energy sources like solar powered

electricity, wind, and geothermal energy for lighting and cooking fuels respectively. The

situation even becomes overwhelming in the context of climate change given the fact

that the current energy system of most SSA countries is dominated by fossil fuels and

found that air pollutant (aerosols) can accumulate in the tissues of living organisms and

the environment. It is also linked with global warming and climate change phenomenon

(Gerson, 2008; Idoko, 2019). This scenario occurs when the green houses gases is

trapped in the atmosphere (Seppälä et al., 2019). Thus, growing concerns about this

issue has made the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) to capture

energy access, renewable energy, and energy efficiency as its goal number 7 (SDG7)

(UNDP, 2013). Experts in advanced countries have realized this and have put clean

energy at the top of their agenda. In spite of this, only a very few studies have been

conducted to highlight the issue in the context of energy in Nigeria, by extension FCT,

Abuja (Onoja and Idoko, 2012).

and this contributes significantly to ambient air pollution, global warming and climate

change. Onoja, Idoko, & Adah (2008) identified cooking fuel as one of the leading factors

responsible for the rate of deforestation in FCT, Abuja. Therefore, providing all

households with modern energy will reduce environmental pollution and energy

consumption will require effective policy reforms. Apart from the lack of adequate

finance, a key obstacle to facilitating sustainable energy development is the lack of proper

information by policymakers about the possible impacts of different energy policy

pathways (WHO, 2017).

Studies from one of the countries in SSA, Nigeria is the most populous and largest

economy in Africa, endowed with a large menu of energy resources, but only about 61%

towards de-carbonizing the household sector and ensuring energy security. Energy

system models can be applied to explore the future energy pathways of a sector or

region.

Evidently, Kwali town has been witnessing rapid growth over the years since the

establishment of Federal Government College and Government Secondary School Abuja

in 1986. The change has also translated to the increasing energy demand and

consumption pattern in the town. Access to energy and electricity is basic human right

that is threatened by the increasing demand and consumption pattern by the teeming

population.

Accessing energy is a more prominent challenge in Kwali as with other cities in Nigeria,

ambient temperature, visibility and decline in the quality of air.

Several researchers have studied and reported works relating to energy conservation and

environmentally friendly energy strategies in countries across Europe, Asia and Latin

America (Epe Shari et al., 2020; Halbe, 2013; Newsom, 2012; Teng et al., 2012; Zerinou

et al., 2020). The following scholars have focus on energy types, energy consumption

and economic development. Specifically, Osueke and Ezugwu (2011) investigated

‘Nigeria energy resources and its consumption, Onoja and Idoko (2012) worked on

‘Econometric analysis of factors influencing fuelwood demand in rural and peri-urban

farm households of FCT, Abuja, Kayode et al. (2015) did theirs on ‘Analysis of Household

(2015) worked on the economic development of Kwali, while Ibrahim and Cudjoe (2021)

Kwali is located in FCT, Abuja, Nigeria (see figures 1 & 2). Its coordinates are: latitude

7

11’ to 7

32’ E and is one of the rapidly urbanizing

towns in Abuja, Nigeria.

The study used both primary and secondary sources of data. Given the fact that Kwali

current settlement population cannot be ascertained, the researcher applied Hanlon and

of the scenarios, there appeared to be sufficient accommodation for every individual in a

household as an average of 89 rooms was available for 80 persons.

Table 2 presents the responses to some energy characteristics which Kwali residents’

experience. The results indicated that the preferred energy source of use is electricity

accounting for 72%, compared with kerosene 14%. Before the twenty-first Century,

more than 1.6 million people globally were still without access to electricity and in Nigeria,

about 60 – 70% of the population were in this category (Osueke and Ezugwu, 2011).

However, by the early twenty-first Century, sub-Sahara African population of about 46%

used electricity (Treiber, 2013). The trend had improved remarkably in recent years, as

72% of residents in Kwali town have access to electricity. Only 2% of the residents still

applied the classical energy types of firewood or candle. As also seen in figure 4.

The transition to usage of modern energy sources was further illustrated by 11% solar

thousand (N50, 000.00) naira. The breakdown indicated that 22% earned below N5,

000.00, 27% earned between N5, 000.00 – N10, 000.00, while 30% earned below N50,

000. However, only 22% of the respondent falls into the category of those earning above

purchase solar equipment for use in their households. The influence of income level on

Bearing in mind the chosen factors of availability, affordability, and convenience of usage,

respondents were further presented with different scenarios of application if the different

energy types were to be readily available. For the purpose of cooking, 42% indicated

interest for firewood like those for gas (that is, the liquefied petroleum, LP). The

sources have been extensively reviewed by Vieira (2021). The most environmentally

friendly energy source identified is gas (63%), followed by electricity (32%). On the

contrary, the most eco-harmful energy source was firewood (73%), followed by kerosene

(33%). Therefore, the energy ladder/energy–mix transition for Kwali could be inferred

as firewood – kerosene – solar – electricity – gas. The firewood and gas supplies were

readily available to the two classes of residents who could afford their energy source of

choice and its convenience.