Nigeria’s Energy and Environmental Future: Insights from Scientist Ngana Charles Obinna
By Ugo Aliogo
Nigeria’s energy and environmental challenges are reaching a breaking point. More than 85 million citizens roughly 43 percent of the population still live without access to reliable electricity, according to the International Energy Agency. The World Bank estimates that this chronic power deficit drains nearly $29 billion annually from the economy through lost productivity. At the same time, air pollution in major cities like Lagos and Port Harcourt regularly measures five to ten times higher than World Health Organization guidelines, contributing to over 114,000 premature deaths each year. Climate change further deepens the crisis: in 2022 alone, flooding displaced more than 1.4 million Nigerians, while desertification continues to encroach upon 60 percent of farmland in the north, worsening hunger and poverty.
For Ngana Charles Obinna, a Nigerian scientist whose academic path took him from Enugu and Taraba to the University of Arizona in the United States, these sobering statistics illustrate the urgency of science-led innovation. “We cannot achieve sustainable growth without investing in research-driven solutions,” he explains. His work in computational chemistry and materials science explores ways to design low-cost catalysts for clean hydrogen energy, nanosensors to improve industrial safety, and advanced materials for environmental remediation. In his view, the scientific tools now available offer Nigeria a way to turn daunting challenges into opportunities for renewal.
Obinna’s perspective carries weight not only because of his research, but also because of his remarkable journey. In 2016, he became the first-ever First-Class graduate in Chemistry at the Federal University Wukari, winning the award of Best Graduating Student. He rose rapidly through academia, moving from Graduate Assistant to Lecturer II by 2023, teaching and mentoring dozens of young scientists. A prestigious TETFund scholarship in 2019 enabled him to pursue a master’s degree at the University of Ibadan, where he graduated with distinction. Today, he is pursuing his PhD in Chemistry at the University of Arizona, with published work already cited internationally. Yet Obinna insists that his own success is only part of the story. “Nigeria has a pool of brilliant young scientists,” he says. “What we need are stronger institutions, targeted funding, and real partnerships between universities, industries, and policymakers. If Nigeria invests in talent and innovation, we can turn today’s problems into opportunities for sustainable growth.”
His call reflects a broader warning echoed by development experts. A 2024 UNDP report cautioned that Nigeria could lose 11 percent of its GDP by 2050 to climate change impacts if urgent reforms are not pursued. The African Development Bank estimates that the country requires more than $100 billion in climate-smart investments annually to meet its net-zero commitments. Yet government spending on research and development remains below 0.2 percent of GDP far beneath UNESCO’s 1 percent benchmark. Without stronger backing, Nigeria’s young innovators may never see their ideas translated into industries that power growth.
Experts like Obinna argue that the way forward is clear. Nigeria must scale up investment in R&D, raising it to at least 1 percent of GDP by 2030, while establishing hubs that link scientists to industries and entrepreneurs. Human capital development should be prioritized, expanding scholarship programs and creating pathways for diaspora scientists to contribute knowledge and mentorship. Industry-academic partnerships must be strengthened to bring clean hydrogen, advanced materials, and green technologies into the marketplace. Above all, these reforms should be aligned with Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan, which aims to reach net-zero emissions by 2060.
Nigeria’s twin crises of energy insecurity and environmental degradation are formidable, but they are not insurmountable. Obinna’s journey from being the first First-Class chemistry graduate at Federal University Wukari to conducting advanced research in the United States symbolizes the ingenuity and resilience of a new generation of Nigerian scientists. With the right policies and investments, Nigeria can not only confront its energy and environmental crises but also contribute meaningfully to global science and innovation. As Obinna emphasizes, the country has the talent; what remains is the will to harness it.
