The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the alleged misplacement of green and renewable energy projects within government entities lacking the expertise or mandate to manage them effectively.
This decision followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance at Wednesday’s plenary, sponsored by Hon. Jesse Onuakalusi, who represents the Oshodi/Isolo II Federal Constituency of Lagos State.
According to the lawmaker, the Federal Government has, through various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), embarked on multiple green and renewable energy projects intended to boost sustainable power generation, curb carbon emissions, and expand access to clean energy in underserved areas.
However, Onuakalusi expressed concern that several of these projects—such as solar mini-grids and wind farms—had been wrongly assigned to agencies without the technical know-how or legal authority to execute them.
He lamented that such misplacement “encourages duplication of efforts, delays implementation timelines, and often results in substandard or abandoned projects, thereby wasting public funds and eroding public trust.”
The Labour Party lawmaker further warned that poor coordination and lack of due diligence among MDAs had led to inefficiencies, poor monitoring, and diminished value in the execution of renewable energy projects.
He stressed that for Nigeria to achieve its Energy Transition Plan, green energy projects must be domiciled in competent agencies like the Rural Electrification Agency, Energy Commission of Nigeria, and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.
Onuakalusi also cautioned that continued mismanagement of renewable energy initiatives could jeopardize Nigeria’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7—Affordable and Clean Energy—and undermine its obligations under the Paris Climate Agreement.
Following the motion’s adoption, the House directed its Committee on Renewable Energy to investigate the domiciliation of green energy projects across MDAs to ensure compliance with due process, capacity requirements, and statutory mandates.
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The committee is expected to identify misplaced or underperforming projects and recommend corrective actions, including possible sanctions.
Additionally, the House urged the Federal Government, through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Bureau of Public Procurement, to ensure that future projects are assigned only to competent and legally mandated agencies.
It also called on the Ministry of Power and the Energy Commission of Nigeria to develop a framework for better inter-agency coordination on renewable energy implementation and report back within four weeks.
The House further proposed an amendment to the Electric Power Sector Reform Act to align existing laws with the nation’s renewable energy goals.