Vice-President Kashim Shettima says Nigeria4H2 Project is designed to unlock Nigeria’s vast and untapped potential in green hydrogen, to revolutionise economy and secure Nigeria’s place
By Emmanuella Anokam
Vice-President Kashim Shettima says Nigeria4H2 Project is designed to unlock Nigeria’s vast and untapped potential in green hydrogen, to revolutionise economy and secure Nigeria’s place in the 21st-century energy market.
Shettima said this while opening the Nigeria4H2 Project Results Workshop and End of Project Stakeholders’ Interaction on Friday in Abuja.
The Nigeria4H2 project was initiated by the West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL), Federal University of Technology, Akure, Afe Babalola University and Federal University of Technology, Minna.
It was designed to assess the technical, infrastructural, regulatory, and investment landscape necessary to harness Nigeria’s green hydrogen potential to power transportation, produce electricity and manufacture fertilisers based on green ammonia in Nigeria.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that one of the key results of the Nigeria4H2 Project is that Nigeria has a potential to produce up to four million tonnes of green ammonia per annum.
Shettima, represented by Dr Tope Fasua, Technical Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, said that the world was moving towards cleaner energy sources, and Nigeria must not be left behind.
In an address titled “Unlocking Nigeria’s Green Hydrogen Potential: A Renewed Hope for a Sustainable Future’’, the vice-president said that the Nigeria4H2 Project represented Nigeria’s strategic and decisive response to this global imperative.
He said that the green hydrogen, produced from renewable sources such as solar and wind power, offered a compelling pathway to diversify the country’s energy mix.
He said that it can also reduce carbon footprint and create new economic opportunities.
“Nigeria is uniquely positioned to become a leader in this burgeoning industry.
“We are blessed with an abundance of sunlight and wind, resources that can be harnessed to generate clean electricity required for green hydrogen production.
“Our strategic geographical location and our skilled, youthful population provide the essential ingredients for a successful and scalable green hydrogen economy,’’ he said.
He said that with the global energy paradigm, undergoing a profound and irreversible transformation, the clarion call for a sustainable, decarbonised future was no longer a distant echo but a resonant demand.
Shettima, while commending the Energy Commission of Nigeria for providing a crucial platform to deliberate on the project, described it as a fundamental pillar of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Nigeria 4H2 Project at its core. This project is designed to unlock Nigeria’s vast and untapped potential in green hydrogen.
“It IS a clean, versatile and abundant energy carrier that can revolutionise our economy and secure our place in the 21st-century energy market.
“The Nigeria 4H2 Project perfectly embodies this principle. It is an intricate mosaic of public-private partnerships, international collaboration, and domestic innovation.
“This is not a task for the government alone. It requires the collective genius, capital and unwavering commitment of every stakeholder present today, he said.
According to Shettima, the economic ramifications of the project were colossal.
He said that by positioning Nigeria as a major producer and exporter of green hydrogen, it could create a new stream of revenue, reduce reliance on volatile fossil fuel markets, and attract significant foreign direct investment.
“Beyond the economic calculus, the Nigeria4H2 Project holds immense social and environmental benefits.
“It would contribute significantly to climate change mitigation efforts, helping to meet Nigeria’s international obligations under the Paris Agreement.
“By transitioning to a cleaner energy source, we can improve air quality, enhance public health and ensure a more sustainable future for generations to come.
“This is our moral duty to our children and to the planet,’’ he said.
Shettima described the workshop as a critical step in the project.
He charged the stakeholders to identify potential roadblocks to forge a common path forward by leveraging on collective expertise to develop a comprehensive roadmap. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
