Legal Approaches and Strategies for Achieving Sustainability in the Use of National Resources for Bio-fuel in Nigeria

Abstract

Nature has always satisfied man's energy needs in a renewable manner, until the industrial revolution pushed him to start exploiting the earth's fossil reserves: coal, fossil oil and ‘natural' gas. With the tremendous increase in population and technology so much reliance has been placed on fossil oil for running of day to day activities. The current circumstances bring renewable energy back under the spotlight. The commonest type of biofuel is biodiesel and ethanol. Biodiesel is diesel obtained from organic oils, mostly vegetable such as palm oil, jatropha while ethanol is produced from sugar-based crops such as sugar cane, sweet sorghum, and starch-based crops such as maize, cassava, or any other type of grains or tubers that are sugar- or starch-based. The goal of this research is not to advocate that fossil fuels should be replaced by biofuels, but rather to allow Nigeria to diversify its energy sources using locally grown products. This research work found that to sustain the natural resources for biofuel production in Nigeria, that there are strategies and policies that are required to be put in place. Those strategies and policies are discussed and recommendations made thereto.