A team of officials from the Energy Charter Secretariat (ECS) arrived in Abuja and were welcomed by the Director General/CEO of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Professor Eli J. Bala and his staff. Professor Bala remarked that in the electricity sector, Nigeria could benefit from best practices in a way that would benefit consumers and the country as a whole. At the meeting, the Energy Commission staff was given the opportunity to ask questions regarding the benefits and responsibilities associated with the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT).   

The second meeting of the day was at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where the Energy Charter Secretary-General Dr Urban Rusnák met with the Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Geoffrey Onyeama. Minister Onyeama remarked that indeed energy was key to development and engaged in a more specific discussion regarding the features of membership and observership status of the Energy Charter Treaty constituency.  

The ECS team was later welcomed at the Ministry of Science and Technology, which is overseeing Nigeria’s cooperation with the Energy Charter. Dr Rusnák presented Minister Ogbonnaya Onu with the Energy Investment Risk Assessment report 2018 (EIRA) and the EIRA Nigeria extended profile. He commented on the large potential of Nigeria in exploiting solar energy especially in the rural areas of the country.

Nigeria is currently involved in a high-level of cooperation with the Energy Charter Secretariat after having signed the International Energy Charter Declaration in 2017, which includes extended participation in the EIRA project.  Nigeria is also currently working towards full accession to the ECT.