Nigeria’s Solar Cooking Scam: Empty Promises or Another National Distraction? (10 Million Solar Cookers, 200 Million Nigerians; Who Is Fooling Who?)

By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com

Nigeria has never lacked promises; what we lack is delivery. Once again, the Federal Government (FG) has announced yet another lofty pledge; this time, a so-called “Free Solar Cooking Program” that allegedly targets 10 million households across the 36 states of the federation. The idea, on the surface, appears noble: providing free solar cookers to households as part of a clean energy initiative. But when examined with the eyes of reason, logic and Nigeria’s history of failed promises, it smells less like a plan and more like a political joke at the expense of a weary population.

The Numbers Don’t Add Up. Nigeria is a country of over 200 million people, with an estimated 45 million households. If the FG is targeting 10 million, that means only 1 in 5 households will benefit; assuming, of course, that the project ever materializes. History has taught us better: government promises in Nigeria are currency without backing, empty IOUs printed for political optics.

Take for example:

The ₦30,000 minimum wage signed into law in 2019. Till today, over 20 out 36 states have failed to implement it.

In June 2024, the FG promised a new ₦70,000 minimum wage. Two months later, more than half the states have refused to comply.

In 2023, Tinubu’s administration promised stable electricity, yet Nigeria has witnessed some of the worst power outages in a decade. Instead, the presidency spent ₦10 billion installing solar panels at Aso Rock, a personal luxury while the nation groans in darkness.

The government promised massive job creation, but youth unemployment remains above 33% (National Bureau of Statistics, 2024).

With this track record, what confidence should Nigerians have in a solar cooker initiative that sounds like a public relations stunt rather than a serious policy?

The Political Gimmickry of “Solar”. Solar cookers in themselves are not bad ideas. In fact, across Africa, many rural communities benefit from low-cost solar stoves to reduce dependence on firewood and charcoal. It’s an environmental win, reducing deforestation and greenhouse emissions. However, in Nigeria, context matters.

How do you roll out 10 million solar cookers in a country where:

The supply chains for such devices are weak?

Rural poverty is endemic?

Corruption ensures that contracts for such projects are inflated beyond recognition?

Previous government initiatives (from “Operation Feed the Nation” to “TraderMoni”) ended in waste, theft and unaccountability?

The danger is clear: this initiative risks becoming another avenue for looting, where billions are budgeted, a fraction is spent and the rest disappears into the pockets of cronies. Nigerians may never see these “solar cookers,” except during political campaign photo-ops.

Promises Without Performance. The Nigerian political class has mastered the art of governing by press release. Every administration comes armed with SLOGANS, CATCHY HEADLINES and COLORFUL PROMISES, only to abandon them halfway.

As Chinua Achebe once warned: “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership.” Leadership that prioritizes PROPAGANDA over POLICY, PROJECTS over PEOPLE and ANNOUNCEMENTS over ACCOUNTABILITY.

From Jonathan’s Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE-P) to Buhari’s Next Level Agenda and now Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope,” Nigerians have seen hope renewed only in the bellies of politicians, never in their own kitchens. What is a solar cooker to a mother who cannot afford rice? What is renewable energy to a graduate roaming the streets unemployed? What is free cooking equipment to a man who cannot afford garri?

The Economic Burden. Let us be blunt: a solar cooker is not the priority of an average Nigerian household today. Inflation stands at 34% (NBS, July 2025), food inflation at over 40%, fuel prices have tripled since subsidy removal and the naira continues its free fall against the dollar.

Dr. Ayo Teriba, a respected Nigerian economist, recently noted: “The Nigerian economy is bleeding not from lack of projects, but from lack of priorities.” Instead of investing in real economic relief (minimum wage enforcement, agricultural subsidies, job creation) the government is offering solar stoves as consolation prizes.

History of Broken Energy Promises. This solar cooker scheme is also insulting when placed against the backdrop of Nigeria’s energy crisis. For decades, the government has promised stable electricity. Billions of dollars have been poured into power reforms, yet Nigeria generates less than 4,500 MW for over 200 million people, compared to South Africa’s 52,000 MW for 62 million people.

In 2020, Buhari promised 5 million new solar connections for households and businesses under the Solar Naija program. By 2023, less than 10% of that target had been achieved. What became of the billions allocated? Silence. Today, the same script is being replayed, this time with solar cookers. Nigerians have every right to call this what it is: a SCAM in DAYLIGHT.

Expert Opinions and Global Lessons. Globally, successful energy transitions require consistent planning, transparent funding and community buy-in. Ethiopia, for instance, has successfully distributed over 3 million solar lamps through partnerships with NGOs and the private sector. Kenya has become Africa’s leading hub for off-grid solar solutions, powered by strict accountability and international partnerships.

Nigeria, by contrast, treats such projects as political trophies. Professor Pat Utomi once lamented: “In Nigeria, development is not a serious agenda; it is a campaign slogan.” Until that mindset changes, no initiative (whether solar cookers or wind turbines) will bring real change.

What Nigerians Truly Need. Instead of empty promises, Nigerians need basic governance.

Enforce the ₦70,000 minimum wage across all states.

Invest in reliable electricity, not gimmicks.

Create jobs for the 13 million unemployed youths.

Tackle food insecurity, as millions face hunger daily.

Stop corruption that siphons funds from every program.

The IRONY is BITTER: a government that cannot provide fuel for cooking gas, stable electricity for electric stoves or affordable kerosene, now wants Nigerians to believe in a mass solar cooker miracle.

Closing Thought: A Call for Accountability. The solar cooker initiative may sound attractive to foreign donors and environmental lobbyists, to Nigerians, it is yet another mirage in the desert of false promises. Unless backed with transparency, proper funding and measurable outcomes, it will join the long list of Nigeria’s abandoned projects.

As the late Obafemi Awolowo wisely said: “The Nigerian problem is not money, it is how to spend it.” If the FG truly wants to solve the energy crisis, let it start with electricity reform, wage justice and food security not toys disguised as policy.

Until then, Nigerians must keep asking: Who benefits from these promises; the people or the politicians?

New leather hub will position Lagos as a global leader in leather production and innovation… Obasa

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa has hailed the newly commissioned industrial leather hub as potent enough to position Lagos as a global leader in leather production and innovation.

Located in the boisterous Matori, Mushin area of the state, the hub, now known as the Oluremi Tinubu Industrial Leather Hub, is designed to generate more than $250m annually in export turnover when fully operational, create 10,000 direct jobs while over 150,000 artisans would benefit from training and start-up support to boost productivity, and position Lagos as the leather logistics capital in West Africa.

Equipped with modern industrial leatherwork machinery capable of mass-producing shoes, bags, belts, packaging bags, and other leather products, the commissioning of the hub on Saturday was part of activities lined up for the First Lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu’s three-day official visit to Lagos.

In a goodwill message delivered at the ceremony, Obasa commended the state government for its initiative and investment, stating that the hub reaffirms the state’s leadership vision to transform Lagos into an industrial powerhouse.

He said, “This is more than just a facility; this hub symbolises our resolve to harness the ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit of our people. I am convinced beyond measure that it will empower artisans, create thousands of jobs, and position Lagos as a global leader in leather production and innovation.”

The Speaker further commended the state government for naming the leather hub after the First Lady, which he said is “a fitting recognition of her excellent service to the state as a three-term senator, her empowerment initiatives over the past two decades, and, also, as the wife of our beloved President.”

Presidency Advised to Consider Strategic Lockdowns as Security Solution

Policy memorandum from CRADI outlines targeted, intelligence-led measures against insurgents and bandits

The Presidency has been advised to adopt strategic, intelligence-driven lockdowns as part of a new framework to counter terrorism, banditry, and other forms of violent criminality threatening national stability.

This recommendation was contained in a Policy Advisory Memorandum submitted to the Federal Government by the Crest Research and Development Institute (CRADI) and authored by conflict and security expert, Isa Mohammed.

The memorandum argues that Nigeria’s worsening insecurity requires urgent, innovative approaches beyond conventional military operations, pointing to lessons from other conflict zones as well as Nigeria’s own COVID-19 lockdown experience.

A Nation at a Crossroads

Nigeria currently faces overlapping layers of violence:

• Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgency in the Northeast.
• Banditry, mass kidnappings, and illegal mining in the Northwest.
• Farmer–herder clashes and communal violence in the North Central.
• Separatist-linked attacks in the Southeast.
• Oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and cult-related violence in the South-South.
• Rising cases of kidnappings and armed robbery in the Southwest.

According to the memorandum, this mosaic of insecurity has eroded public trust in state authority and demands a coordinated strategy that can disrupt criminal networks while safeguarding civilian lives.

“Conventional military campaigns alone cannot address these overlapping threats,” Mohammed wrote. “Strategic lockdowns, when carefully designed, can restrict terrorist mobility, cut off supply lines, and create the operational space for intelligence-led security operations.”

Buratai’s Call Sparks Policy Debate

The proposal builds on a recent intervention by former Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (Rtd.), who called for a nationwide strategic lockdown as a tool to curb rising insecurity.

CRADI responded by convening a Policy Lab under its Co-Creation and Innovation Lab (CCIL), bringing together security practitioners, conflict analysts, governance experts, humanitarian actors, and community stakeholders.

The Lab drew lessons from Nigeria’s COVID-19 lockdown, which, despite its economic costs, succeeded in reducing certain forms of crime and giving security forces a clearer view of population movements. Participants agreed that lockdowns can be effective, but only if targeted, intelligence-driven, and sensitive to humanitarian needs.

Targeted, Not Blanket Lockdowns

The memorandum strongly cautioned against a nationwide shutdown, arguing it would cripple livelihoods without delivering sustainable security. Instead, CRADI recommended zonal lockdowns tailored to local dynamics.

Northeast: Seal borders with Niger, Chad, and Cameroon; enforce curfews around the Lake Chad Basin and Mandara Mountains.

Northwest: Impose lockdowns in forest belts such as Rugu, Kamuku, and Birnin Gwari; ban illegal mining; restrict rural mobility.

North Central: Enforce lockdowns in conflict flashpoints; secure farmlands with patrols; regulate grazing routes to reduce clashes.

Southeast: Introduce night curfews; restrict unauthorized assemblies; secure major highways against attacks.

South-South: Implement surveillance lockdowns along pipeline corridors and waterways to combat oil theft and cult-related violence.

Southwest: Apply tactical restrictions in forest reserves, especially the Ondo–Ogun axis, which has become a haven for kidnappers.

Security and Humanitarian Balance

The memorandum stressed that any lockdown must prioritize civilians’ welfare. Relief distribution, medical services, and humanitarian corridors must be integral parts of the plan.

“Lockdowns cannot succeed if they punish communities more than they hurt terrorists,” the Policy Lab concluded.

Civil society groups, traditional rulers, and religious leaders were identified as key partners in sensitization and community buy-in. International partners such as the United Nations, African Union, and ECOWAS were also highlighted as potential providers of technical and logistical support.

Oversight and Rule of Law

The memorandum insisted that the rule of law and accountability are essential if the strategy is to maintain legitimacy.

It proposed the creation of a Joint Oversight Mechanism comprising parliamentary committees, the National Human Rights Commission, and civil society actors to monitor enforcement, prevent abuse, and provide citizens with grievance platforms.

Security personnel would be required to operate under clear rules of engagement that respect constitutional rights while allowing decisive action against armed groups.

Implementation Plan

The strategy would unfold in phases:

First 3 months: Map security hotspots, enact legal frameworks, and sensitize communities.

Next 3–6 months: Enforce lockdowns, deploy security forces, and provide humanitarian relief.

After 6 months: Evaluate effectiveness, with adjustments made as needed. Successful areas would transition into community policing and peacebuilding efforts, while unresolved hotspots could see extended lockdowns.

Lockdowns would be strictly time-bound, lasting three to six months in any area, with extensions subject to National Assembly approval.

Measuring Success

Quarterly reports would be submitted to the Presidency anthe d National Assembly. Progress indicators would include:

Reduction in attacks and kidnappings.

Arrest or neutralization of high-value targets.

Destruction of terrorist and bandit camps.

Safe return of displaced persons.

Restoration of farming, trade, and socio-economic activities.

Restoring Authority and Stability

In its conclusion, the memorandum framed the proposal as an opportunity for the Federal Government to regain the initiative in its security strategy.

“General Buratai’s call for a strategic lockdown is an urgent reminder that Nigeria must rethink its approach to insecurity,” Mohammed wrote.

“If implemented with strong oversight, humanitarian sensitivity, and clear timelines, strategic lockdowns can help restore state authority, protect vulnerable communities, and lay the foundation for peacebuilding and long-term stability.”