The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development (SRADeV) on Wednesday held an inception and validation workshop in Lagos on Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for electric motors. The event received support from CLASP. SON director-general Ifeanyi Okeke said the initiative builds on earlier MEPS for lighting products introduced in 2021 and 2024. He stated that electric motors are vital to industrial productivity and account for a major share of electricity use in Nigeria's industrial sector. Mr Okeke noted that many industries still use outdated equipment, increasing energy consumption and production costs. He said improving motor efficiency could cut energy waste, reduce costs, and support Nigeria's climate goals. Global estimates cited by Mr Okeke suggest efficient motors can reduce electricity demand by up to 30 per cent. SON is developing a framework for standards, implementation, and compliance, with electric motors to be included in future phases of its energy labelling scheme beyond the fourth phase in 2026. Leslie Adogame, executive director of SRADeV, said the organisation has over 15 years of experience in environmental sustainability and supported the lighting MEPS that will save $2.47 billion in energy costs by 2050. He projected that electric motors will consume 8.6 terawatt-hours by 2025, but efficient systems could save 3.34 terawatt-hours and prevent 1.7 million tonnes of emissions by 2050. CLASP programme manager Angellah Wekongo said the organisation provides technical support for energy policies, including data analysis and capacity building.
Ifeanyi Okeke's push for energy efficiency standards for electric motors reveals a quiet but strategic pivot by SON to tackle industrial energy waste—a sector often ignored in Nigeria's broader energy discourse. While public attention fixates on power generation and distribution, the agency is targeting the inefficiency embedded in how industries consume electricity, starting with motors that drive machinery across factories.
This move fits within a longer arc of incremental policy development, following the 2021 and 2024 lighting standards that SRADeV helped implement. The projected $2.47 billion in savings from efficient lighting alone shows the financial logic behind these standards, and the new focus on motors—projected to consume 8.6 terawatt-hours by 2025—suggests SON is scaling a proven model. With CLASP's technical backing, the framework benefits from global expertise, but its success hinges on enforcement, not just design.
For Nigerian manufacturers, especially small and medium enterprises, adopting efficient motors could mean lower operating costs and greater resilience amid erratic power supply. Reduced energy demand per unit of output may also ease pressure on the national grid, indirectly benefiting households during peak hours.
This is not a one-off intervention but part of a structured rollout: lighting in the 2021–2026 labelling scheme, motors next. If sustained, it signals a rare instance of long-term regulatory planning in Nigeria's energy space—one that measures impact in terawatt-hours and emission reductions, not press releases.
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