Nigeria is seeking international investment and strategic partnerships to develop its waste-to-energy and sustainable aviation fuel sectors following its admission into the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP), an international platform promoting sustainable bioenergy development.

The Federal Government is presenting the country’s agricultural resources, biomass potential and waste materials as investment opportunities for global partners looking to expand renewable energy production and support the transition to cleaner energy sources.

Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), outlined the opportunities at the 32nd GBEP Steering Committee Meeting in Rome, Italy, where he formally endorsed the Partnership’s Terms of Reference on behalf of Nigeria.

Addressing the international community, Abdullahi highlighted investment opportunities across bioethanol, biodiesel, biogas, biomass power generation, sustainable aviation fuel and waste-to-energy.

In his acceptance speech, Abdullahi said: “Nigeria’s admission into the Partnership establishes a stronger platform for international cooperation, investment opportunities and knowledge transfer, positioning the country to play a more consequential role in shaping the future of sustainable bioenergy in Africa and beyond.”

He called on GBEP partners and the global investment community to deepen collaboration with Nigeria, emphasising the need for strategic partnerships, investment mobilisation and an enabling policy environment to convert the country’s resources into sustainable economic and environmental value.

In his acceptance speech, Abdullahi said: “Nigeria’s admission into the Partnership establishes a stronger platform for international cooperation, investment opportunities and knowledge transfer, positioning the country to play a more consequential role in shaping the future of sustainable bioenergy in Africa and beyond.”

The admission gives Nigeria a platform to strengthen international cooperation, attract investment and access technical expertise to develop its domestic bioenergy industry.

Waste-to-energy technology, which converts waste materials into usable energy, offers opportunities to address waste management challenges while developing alternative sources of power. Sustainable aviation fuel, meanwhile, could provide a cleaner alternative to conventional aviation fuel, as the aviation industry explores ways to reduce its environmental impact.

Nigeria’s agricultural resources and biomass potential could provide feedstock for these emerging energy technologies. Turning that potential into commercially viable projects, however, will require investment in processing facilities, infrastructure, research and technical expertise.

Nigeria’s admission into GBEP follows the Federal Executive Council’s recent approval of the Strategic Plan of the Nigeria Bioenergy Partnership, reinforcing the Federal Government’s policy direction and institutional commitment to developing the sector.

Under the arrangement, the Energy Commission of Nigeria will serve as the country’s designated focal point to GBEP and coordinate Nigeria’s participation in the Partnership’s programmes, including sustainability initiatives, capacity building and international knowledge exchange.

Membership is expected to provide opportunities for Nigeria to engage with other participating countries on bioenergy policies, technologies and investment frameworks that could support the growth of its domestic industry.

The development of the sector could also create opportunities for agricultural value addition by converting organic waste and other biomass materials into commercially useful energy products.

However, the scale of investment required, the development of reliable biomass supply chains, appropriate regulation and access to suitable technologies will be important to determining whether Nigeria can translate its resource potential into viable commercial projects.

Through its participation in GBEP, the Federal Government is seeking to build international partnerships, attract the investment and access the expertise needed to advance Nigeria’s bioenergy ambitions.