Energy crisis: Don advocates return to coal-powered electricity

By : Lawrence Njoku

Date: 11 December 2025 7:13pm WAT

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This photo taken on December 13, 2023 shows electricity lines near emission funnels for the Bayswater coal-powered thermal power station located near the central New South Wales town of Muswellbrook. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP)

This photo taken on December 13, 2023 shows electricity lines near emission funnels for the Bayswater coal-powered thermal power station located near the central New South Wales town of Muswellbrook. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP)

A Professor of Geophysics at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Prof. G. Z. Ugwu, has urged the Federal Government to revive coal-fired power generation as a strategic solution to Nigeria’s persistent electricity crisis.

Delivering the university’s 54th inaugural lecture on Thursday, Ugwu argued that Nigeria should not be swayed by the global narrative that coal is no longer a clean energy source.

He noted that several advanced economies still rely heavily on coal to meet their power needs, adding that “even the so-called clean energy is not clean.”

He maintained that coal remains a viable option for boosting Nigeria’s electricity supply, insisting that its utilisation could help the country achieve the estimated 40,000 megawatts required for stable power.

Ugwu faulted the nation’s near-total reliance on gas-powered generation despite the fact that about 70 per cent of Nigerians still lack adequate electricity access.

According to him, increased deployment of coal-fired plants would help drive down the country’s high electricity tariffs by expanding supply.

He explained that high-grade bituminous coal can be effectively used as pulverised fuel for electricity production, stressing that the global adoption of coal has historically supported socioeconomic development, infrastructure growth, and poverty reduction.

Quoting global data, Ugwu said: “Coal reserves are plentiful worldwide, with China and the United States leading in global reserves, although most countries possess accessible deposits. Globally, coal contributed around 34.32 per cent to electricity generation in 2024, reinforcing its role as a major energy source.”

He added that India generates 74.6 per cent of its electricity from coal, China 53.18 per cent, Japan 31.87 per cent, and the United States 14.88 per cent, while Nigeria contributes “zero per cent.”

To address the nation’s power deficit, Ugwu recommended that the government “revitalise the coal mining industry in order to harness the large coal resources of the country by constructing coal-fired electricity generating plants across various geopolitical regions where coal deposits are found.”

He said such a move would significantly increase electricity output and support national development.

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