BLOG - Providing green interventions: A case study of rural water facility operation in Nigeria
This research is focussed on having a better understanding of what energy fuel is used to operate a rural water facility in Nigeria and explore appropriate interventions for using green energy in its facility operation.
By Saheed Bello
In collaboration with Sustainable Inclusive Welfare Analytics (SIWA), a local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), work was carried out to stimulate stakeholder engagement in the village of Mogaji, in Nigeria. The findings revealed that since its commission in 2021,
the project has failed to supply water due to low electricity voltages. Village members are unable to meet the upfront costs for a petrol-based generator. This has caused real worry for the village. The research findings conflict with initial reported key stakeholder data gathered through phone interviews.
The members of Mogaji village expressed their concern:
Operating the water pump every Friday is not adequate to meet our water needs, as the stored water is exhausted within three days,
Mogaji Village’s Women Group
With the provision of a standby petrol-based generator, we can have sufficient water to carry out economic and social activities,
Mrs Olubowale Funmilayo
Nurse at the Primary Health Centre Mogaji Village
The work showed that maintenance of the rural water facility is highlighted as high priority, and requires urgent actions from local government agencies. The research output also includes a submitted abstract which has been
accepted for a book chapter in “Energy Economics, Finance, and Management in Developing and Emerging Countries”.
The researcher team would like to thank the Energy IRC for its support through its "Energy IRC Small Grant Award". It would also like to acknowledge the feedback provided by the Energy, Policy and Research Group (EPRG), which helped to shape the project research design and complete its objectives.
Dr Saheed Bello is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Energy Policy Research Group (EPRG). Judge Business School, University of Cambridge. He is an applied economist with research interests in network industries and renewable energy; energy storage technology;
digital energy and modelling; business intelligence and strategy analytics.