Nigeria's Energy Crisis Hinders Industrialisation, Says Emir Sanusi

Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II warned that Nigeria’s inability to provide reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity is the country’s biggest obstacle to industrialisation, economic growth and national development. Speaking at a birthday symposium for former Minister of Power Prof. Barth Nnaji in Enugu, Sanusi linked energy security to macro‑economic stability, industrial competitiveness and inflation, noting that brief power disruptions can reduce growth and raise prices. He urged policymakers to combine Nigeria’s natural‑gas resources with greater investment in renewable sources such as solar and wind, and highlighted chronic constraints in the power sector—including under‑investment, infrastructure vandalism, corruption, sector illiquidity, regulatory uncertainty and the lack of cost‑reflective tariffs. Sanusi also warned that reliance on generators exposes millions of Nigerians to harmful carbon emissions and could cause the country to fall behind the global shift to electric vehicles.