Multidimensional Energy Poverty in the South-South Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria

Abstract

This paper analyzed multidimensional energy poverty in the south-south geopolitical zone of Nigeria using theNational Bureau of Statistic 2009-10 National Living Standard Survey (NLSS) data. Whereas results at the zonallevel showed 83.2% of inhabitants are energy poor and are deprived of 90.3% of the weighted indicators statelevel results showed that 92.1%, 96.7%, 91.9%, 76.8% 60.1% and 83.1% of inhabitants in Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa,Cross-rivers, Delta, Edo and Rivers States were energy poor and are deprived of 95%, 85.1%, 95.3%, 88.2%,86.8% and 90.2% of the weighted indicators respectively, thus energy poverty in the zone is both acute andpervasive. Energy poverty in the zone also has rural-urban, educational attainment and occupational dimensions.The study therefore recommended that energy poverty reduction efforts should include education/enlightenmentprogrammes at the work place, schools, rural areas, and in all the states of the zone, and should be all inclusive.Keywords- Headcount, Intensity, Multidimensional Energy Poverty Index, and Relative-risk ratio