Historical Drivers of Energy Infrastructure Change in Nigeria (1800–2015)

Abstract

This chapter, building on a previously published paper, presents the key historical drivers of energy infrastructure change in Nigeria. The study revealed five main drivers that impacted on the Nigerian energy transitions which are: (a) Policy and institutional interventions on energy; (b) Technological interventions and energy technology pathways; (c) Social (societal) practices and public values for energy; (d) Avail- able energy resource options; and (e) Economic considerations. Based on these drivers, four important influences that impacted on energy systems choices and the kind of energy infrastructure Nigeria ended up with were also discussed. These influences are: (a) Politics and energy governance structures; (b) Technological changes; (c) Energy resources (and the quantity of available reserves); (d) The geographies of energy. It concludes by highlighting some of the implications of these influences on the future of energy in Nigeria.