ENERGY SITUATION IN NIGERIA AND ITS INFLUENCE ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT DRIVE

The paper examines current Nigerian energy deficiency situation and the magnitude effects it has on sustainable development drive. Energy and economic growth in manufacturing and social well-being are mutually un-exclusive. A large population of over 160 million depends on less than 3000MW supply of electricity for industrial and socio-economic activities. And the power sector still faces high energy losses from generation to billing, management, insufficient cash collection and has pushed cost maintenance to government funding. As a result, only 10% of the rural households and less than 50% of the entire country's population have access to electricity. This management deficiency encourages the use of fossil fuel powered generators in all the homes and diesel generators for production, thereby causing serious environmental air pollutions, import of goods, and zero manufacturing innovation in the economy among others. This paper takes cognizance of the technical issues involved and suggests how sustainable development could reach its strategies if changes could occur soonest in the energy sector. (C) 2017 The Authors.