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By Kareem Islamiyat
As Nigeria takes bold steps toward achieving energy access, industrial competitiveness, and climate goals, the 2022 National Energy Master Plan (NEMP) remains central to the country’s strategic direction.
To assess its scientific depth and implementation viability, our reporter reached out to Adetomilola Victoria Fafure, a materials science expert and renewable energy researcher whose work spans energy storage, corrosion-resistant infrastructure, and sustainable materials engineering.
Fafure, who has contributed to internationally cited research in agro-waste-based battery innovation and rural electrification resilience, welcomed the opportunity to analyze Nigeria’s master plan and offer evidence-based recommendations for ensuring its success.
“The NEMP is a comprehensive policy document, but its true impact will be determined by the quality of technologies we apply and how well they are adapted to our local context,” she said in an exclusive interview.
Master plan with promise: What the 2022 NEMP got right
The 2022 NEMP, formally adopted by Nigeria’s Federal Executive Council, outlines short, medium, and long-term goals for transforming the country’s energy landscape.
It places significant emphasis on renewable energy integration, rural electrification, energy efficiency, and climate-aligned infrastructure investment.
Fafure commended the plan for its multi-scenario modeling approach, its inclusion of hybrid and off-grid systems, and its alignment with international energy transition benchmarks such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Africa Agenda 2063.
“The structure of the plan reflects a deeper understanding of the systemic nature of our energy challenges, from generation to distribution, and especially access. It’s no longer just about how many megawatts we produce, but how durable, localized, and inclusive our systems are,” she noted.
The missing link: Why materials matter
Fafure emphasized that one of the critical components missing from most energy planning discussions is materials science, specifically, the role that sustainable, locally sourced materials play in ensuring infrastructure reliability, cost efficiency, and energy resilience.
“If we don’t address what goes into our batteries, our solar infrastructure, our transmission lines, then we risk building systems that are expensive to maintain, prone to failure, and incompatible with our climate realities,” she said.
She highlighted the potential of agro-waste-derived materials, such as those used in battery anodes, corrosion-resistant coatings for solar panels, and thermal insulators for storage units, areas where her own research has shown promising results.
The way forward: From policy to practice
While the NEMP presents a strong policy foundation, Fafure believes that its success hinges on implementation through science-based decision-making and local innovation ecosystems.
She recommended the following next steps for national energy stakeholders:
Establish a National Energy Materials Innovation Hub: A dedicated R&D and testing facility to advance performance materials for clean energy systems, reducing reliance on imports.
Embed Materials Performance Standards in Energy Procurement: Ensure that public and private energy projects require tested, certified materials suited to Nigeria’s climate zones.
Support University-Led Pilot Programs: Encourage collaboration between academia, government, and industry to scale lab-proven solutions into real-world energy systems.
Create incentives for local manufacturing of clean-tech components: Leverage the master plan’s infrastructure investment priorities to build a robust local supply chain.
“We cannot afford to treat materials as an afterthought. They are the building blocks of energy infrastructure. Without localized and sustainable material solutions, implementation will fall short,” she stated.
