Nigeria and other developing countries must balance the drive towards cleaner energy with the need to expand electricity access, reduce poverty and sustain economic growth, according to Professor Ekundayo Peter Mesagan of Pan-Atlantic University.

Mesagan made the case during the university’s 26th inaugural lecture in Lagos, where he examined the challenges oil-producing countries face as the world shifts towards lower-carbon energy sources.

His lecture, titled Making Lemonade from Lemons: The Fossil Energy & Sustainability Puzzle, questioned whether developing economies could follow the same energy transition pathways as wealthier countries while addressing their own development needs.

The professor argued that the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is more complicated than simply replacing one energy source with another, particularly where technology, cost and energy access remain significant constraints.

Why Africa’s energy transition may differ

Mesagan, a Professor of Energy and Environmental Economics in the School of Management and Social Sciences at Pan-Atlantic University, said the global drive to reduce fossil fuel consumption raises important questions for countries that depend on oil revenue to finance public spending and development projects.

He posed a central question during the lecture:

“In the last few decades, the global argument for environmental sustainability has been that we should deemphasise the use of fossil energy while scaling up other forms of energy that are less carbon-dioxide emitting. Is this true or not? What should happen to oil-rich nations, especially developing countries? Should they fold up, or should they seek alternative sources of income for financing their projects?”

The question reflects a challenge for countries such as Nigeria, where oil remains an important source of government revenue, while inadequate electricity supply continues to constrain households and businesses.

A transition strategy that overlooks these economic realities could make it harder for developing countries to finance infrastructure and meet growing energy demand.

Mesagan maintained that Africa’s approach cannot simply replicate Europe’s because the two regions face different economic and energy-access conditions.

He argued that environmental objectives must be pursued alongside efforts to expand access to reliable energy and support economic development.

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Fossil fuels are not disappearing immediately

Although the global transition is towards cleaner energy, Mesagan argued that fossil fuels would remain part of the energy mix for the foreseeable future because of technological limitations and cost considerations.

His position highlights the need to consider how oil-producing countries can manage their existing resources while preparing their economies for a changing energy landscape.

For Nigeria, this raises questions about how oil revenue can support economic diversification, how investments in cleaner energy can be financed and how households and businesses can obtain more reliable power during the transition.

The lecture did not suggest that sustainability should be abandoned. Instead, it emphasised the need to consider the economic circumstances of developing countries when designing energy policies.

Governance, not natural resources alone, shapes development

Mesagan also challenged the idea that possessing abundant natural resources automatically determines a country’s economic future.

He argued that governance, policy decisions, innovation and investment influence whether resource wealth translates into broader economic benefits.

“The future belongs to countries that can transform challenges into opportunities,” he noted.

The argument places responsibility on governments and institutions to create policies that turn natural resources into long-term development gains rather than relying indefinitely on commodity revenues.

For Nigeria, this is relevant to the wider debate about economic diversification and the management of revenue from oil and gas as global energy markets evolve.

However, the lecture’s emphasis on governance and investment also points to the importance of how public resources are allocated, particularly when governments must finance infrastructure, social services and energy development simultaneously.

Technology and finance key to sustainability

Mesagan identified technology as an important part of the response, pointing to cleaner industrial processes and carbon capture and storage as options that could help address emissions associated with energy production and industrial activity.

He also stressed the need for financial systems that support sustainability priorities.

Developing and deploying cleaner technologies requires investment, while expanding energy access demands infrastructure and financing. The challenge for policymakers is to determine how these competing needs can be addressed without undermining wider development objectives.

Mesagan further argued that the energy transition cannot be separated from poverty reduction.

He called for collaboration among economists, engineers, policymakers, environmental scientists and other specialists to develop solutions that reflect the technical, economic and social dimensions of the transition.

What the lecture means for Nigeria

The discussion is relevant to Nigeria’s long-term development choices because the country must consider both the future of its oil-dependent revenue base and the need to improve access to electricity.

A sustainable transition involves more than increasing the use of renewable energy. It also requires decisions about investment, infrastructure, affordability, technology and the economic opportunities available as energy systems change.

Mesagan’s argument suggests that developing countries need transition strategies that reflect their circumstances while addressing environmental concerns.

The practical test for policymakers will be how effectively they can translate these priorities into policies that improve energy access, support economic activity and prepare the economy for a lower-carbon future.

The inaugural lecture was held at the Honeywell Group Auditorium, Lagos Business School, and attracted university principal officers, members of Senate, faculty, students, alumni, industry leaders, policymakers and members of the public.

About the inaugural lecturer

Introducing Mesagan, Pan-Atlantic University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Enase Okonedo, described him as:

“an economist, researcher and policy advisor whose work spans energy and environmental economics, industrial policy, natural resources and sustainable economic development.”

Okonedo highlighted his contribution to Nigeria’s national development, including his membership of the drafting committee for Nigeria’s Agenda 2050 under the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.

She also referenced his engagement with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group and the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research.

“Through his research, teaching and engagement with policy and industry, Professor Mesagan continues to contribute to the understanding of some of the economic and environmental issues shaping Nigeria and the wider African continent,” she said.

Pan-Atlantic University is a private, non-profit institution in Lagos committed to developing competent and ethical professionals equipped to serve society with integrity.

Deputy Comptroller Olufemi Kukoyi has assumed leadership of the Lagos Free Trade Zone Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), taking over at a time when the command is under pressure to sustain a record revenue performance while making cargo clearance and trade operations more efficient.

Kukoyi succeeded Comptroller Hauwa Abubakar, who retired from the Customs Service after 35 years of service.

The transition gives the new Area Controller responsibility for a command that collected ₦557.02 billion between January and August 2026, its highest reported revenue performance since the establishment of the Lagos Free Trade Zone Command.

Beyond the revenue figure

While the collection figure provides a measure of the command’s performance, the incoming administration is expected to demonstrate whether the gains can be sustained while improving the experience of businesses operating within the free zone corridor.

The Lagos Free Trade Zone is part of the Customs Service’s Zone A operational structure and sits within an increasingly important trade and logistics corridor around the Lekki axis.

During Abubakar’s tenure, the command also focused on trade facilitation, enforcement, inter-agency cooperation, stakeholder engagement and personnel welfare.

Her administration maintained engagement with free zone operators, the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Lekki Port, Lekki Freeport Terminal, customs brokers, security and regulatory agencies, traditional institutions and host communities.

Abubakar: performance was a team effort

At her valedictory ceremony, Abubakar attributed the command’s achievements to collective effort rather than individual leadership.

“Whatever successes we recorded during my time as Area Controller were not achieved by me alone. They were the product of teamwork, discipline, professionalism, and the collective commitment of every officer and member of staff.”

She thanked Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi and the management of the Service for the opportunity to serve, while acknowledging officers, stakeholders and partner agencies whose cooperation supported the command’s operations.

Abubakar also placed personnel welfare among the priorities of her administration, arguing that effective Customs operations depend not only on revenue collection and enforcement but also on the morale and wellbeing of officers.

Her retirement closes a 35-year career in the Nigeria Customs Service.

What Kukoyi wants to change

Kukoyi has signalled that technology and process efficiency will be central to his administration.

Speaking after taking over, he pledged to consolidate the gains of his predecessor while aligning the command with the Customs Service’s strategic policy direction of Consolidation, Collaboration and Innovation.

His priorities include technology-driven Customs operations, trade facilitation, stronger enforcement and improved revenue assurance.

Kukoyi specifically identified the National Single Window Project, One-Stop-Shop Post-Clearance Mechanism and B’Odogwu Unified Customs Management System as tools that can improve operational efficiency.

The National Single Window is designed to provide a unified digital environment for trade and maritime transactions, including coordinated documentation and faster processing.

For businesses operating through the corridor, the practical test will be whether these systems translate into fewer delays, more predictable procedures and stronger compliance.

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The challenge facing the new administration

Kukoyi’s immediate challenge is therefore broader than maintaining a revenue target.

The command must balance revenue assurance with legitimate trade facilitation, enforcement with efficient cargo processing, and regulatory responsibilities with constructive relationships across the free zone ecosystem.

That balance will be particularly important as the Lagos Free Trade Zone corridor continues to connect manufacturers, investors, logistics operators, ports, government agencies and other businesses.

Kukoyi said his administration would build on the foundation established by Abubakar rather than simply occupy the office she vacated.

He also pledged to strengthen the command’s contribution to the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business agenda.

Abubakar asks stakeholders to support successor

As she handed over, Abubakar urged Customs officers, businesses and partner agencies to extend to Kukoyi the cooperation given to her administration.

She stressed that changes in leadership should not disrupt the broader objectives of the Customs Service.

Abubakar expressed confidence in her successor and wished him a successful tenure.

The command, in turn, wished the retiring comptroller a peaceful and fulfilling retirement.

What to watch next

The performance of the Lagos Free Trade Zone Command under Kukoyi will likely be judged against three immediate areas: whether the command can sustain revenue mobilisation, whether technology can improve cargo and trade processes, and whether enforcement can be strengthened without creating unnecessary barriers to legitimate business.

The transition therefore represents more than a change of personnel.

It marks the beginning of a new phase for a command that has established a significant revenue benchmark and must now demonstrate that the operational systems and stakeholder relationships behind that performance can deliver sustainable results.

Nigeria’s push to grow non-oil exports is taking a new direction as the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) moves to bring more port-related services closer to businesses operating away from the country’s coastal ports.

The move could particularly affect exporters in northern and central Nigeria, where agricultural producers and businesses have traditionally had to move goods considerable distances towards coastal ports before completing key clearance and documentation processes.

At the NPA Special Day of the 21st Abuja International Trade Fair, the authority’s Managing Director, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, said the transfer of Inland Dry Port (IDP) management and development functions to the NPA would help address some of these challenges.

The trade fair, organised by the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), was held under the theme, “Resilient Trade, Taxation, and the Economy.”

Bringing port services closer to exporters

Dantsoho said the NPA was working to extend maritime logistics into the hinterland, arguing that Nigeria’s economic resilience would depend increasingly on its ability to expand non-oil exports.

He said the new arrangement for Inland Dry Ports would bring port efficiency closer to businesses located far from the coast.

“By bringing Inland Dry Ports under the operational purview of the NPA, exporters in northern and central Nigeria, including right here in Abuja, no longer need to move raw commodities to coastal ports before undergoing port clearance and documentation.”

The development is particularly significant for producers dealing in commodities such as cocoa, sesame seeds, cashew nuts and hibiscus, as well as businesses involved in solid minerals.

For such businesses, the logistics involved in moving goods from production areas to ports can affect delivery schedules, costs and ultimately their ability to compete in international markets.

Export terminals to handle more processes inland

The NPA also pointed to its Export Processing Terminals as another part of its strategy to simplify the export chain.

According to Dantsoho, the terminals provide facilities where activities including sorting, packaging, quality certification and customs documentation can be completed before cargo is transported to port terminals.

The aim is to reduce the number of separate processes exporters have to navigate and make cargo movement more predictable.

Dantsoho said increased export activity had already been recorded in agricultural commodities and solid minerals over the past two years.

He argued that more streamlined channels could also improve confidence among international buyers and increase foreign exchange earnings from exports.

“To our prospective businessmen and entrepreneurs, now is the time to embrace export trade.”

Why the move matters

Nigeria has long sought to reduce its reliance on crude oil earnings by increasing production and exports from agriculture, manufacturing, processing and other sectors.

But producing goods for export is only part of the challenge. The ability to move those goods efficiently through certification, customs, documentation, ports and international shipping is equally important.

For businesses outside Lagos and other coastal locations, reducing the logistical distance between production and port services could therefore have a direct bearing on how competitive their products are.

The NPA says its objective is to ensure that exporters, regardless of their location or size, can access reliable maritime logistics.

ACCI seeks stronger NPA-business links

The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry has welcomed the NPA’s engagement with the business community, but says the relationship needs to go beyond trade-fair participation.

ACCI Director General, Agabaidu Jideani, called for stronger collaboration between the authority and the organised private sector to improve trade, investment and supply chains.

He said the performance of Nigeria’s ports affects a broad range of businesses, from exporters and manufacturers to distributors and logistics operators.

“The efficiency, accessibility and competitiveness of Nigeria’s ports have direct implications for importers, exporters, manufacturers, distributors, logistics operators, retailers and numerous other businesses across our sectoral groups.”

Jideani said ACCI was particularly interested in connecting businesses in the Federal Capital Territory to the wider national and international trading system.

He said the Chamber could provide a platform for businesses to communicate practical challenges to the NPA, while the authority could use such engagements to explain port procedures, trade facilitation initiatives and opportunities in the maritime sector.

“We therefore commend the Nigerian Ports Authority for participating in this year’s Abuja International Trade Fair and for using the NPA Day to engage directly with the organised private sector.”

“We see this participation not merely as an exhibition opportunity, but as an important platform for dialogue, stakeholder engagement and partnership.”

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Beyond Abuja

ACCI said it was prepared to work with the NPA through policy discussions, business forums, sensitisation programmes and capacity-building initiatives.

Jideani said such cooperation could help businesses gain better market access while strengthening supply chains and improving the overall trading environment.

He described the Abuja International Trade Fair as a platform connecting businesses with investors, government agencies, financial institutions, diplomatic missions and development partners.

The Chamber also said sustained collaboration between the NPA and the private sector would be necessary to improve Nigeria’s participation in domestic, regional and international trade.

“We look forward to building an even stronger and more sustained partnership that will support businesses, facilitate trade, create opportunities, and contribute to the growth and competitiveness of the Nigerian economy.”

What exporters will be watching

The latest policy direction could make inland export infrastructure more important to businesses seeking to reach international markets.

However, the practical impact will depend on how efficiently the new arrangements work on the ground, including the availability of infrastructure, coordination among agencies, cargo handling, certification and customs processes.

For exporters, the central question will be whether bringing port functions closer to production centres translates into lower logistics pressures, faster processing and more predictable delivery to overseas buyers.

For the wider economy, the NPA sees the expansion of non-oil exports as a route to stronger foreign exchange inflows and a more diversified trade base.