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Turning Nigerians from consumers into owners
Energy advisory · Research · Sustainability
Powering the transition.
Inspiring sustainable futures.
Olivia Energy is a strategic energy advisory, research and sustainability consultancy, committed to a cleaner, more secure and more inclusive energy future. We bring evidence-based solutions to governments, businesses, investors and development organisations.
Why Olivia?
- Energy is changing.
- Policies are evolving.
- Markets are transforming.
- Climate risks are increasing.
- Businesses must adapt.
- Governments need evidence.
- Investors require clarity.
- Communities deserve sustainable solutions.
We exist to bridge these gaps.
The gaps, measured
Driven by evidence.
Our work is driven by evidence and shaped by experience. Four numbers frame it: three gaps to close, and one sign of what closing them looks like.
- 87millionGap
people in Nigeria had no electricity in 2024, more than in any other country.
Each dot is one million people.
Source: Sustainable Energy for All, Tracking SDG7: The Energy Progress Report 2026. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
- 32.7%Gap
of Nigeria’s installed grid capacity was available, on average, in the first quarter of 2026: 4,458 MW of 13,625 MW.
AvailableInstalledSource: Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Quarterly Report, first quarter 2026. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
- 2%of investmentGap
Africa’s share of global clean energy investment in 2025, against 20% of the world’s population (IEA estimate).
Clean energy investmentPopulationSource: International Energy Agency, World Energy Investment 2025. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
- 7×Opening
Nigeria’s petroleum product exports rose about sevenfold after the Dangote refinery opened: from 46,000 barrels a day in 2023 to 350,000 in the second quarter of 2026.
2023Q2 2026Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Today in Energy, 24 August 2026 (data: Vortexa). Retrieved 2 October 2026.
Fig. 1
Share of people with electricity, 2000 to 2024
29.4-point gap in 2024
Use the left and right arrow keys to read each year.
91.9%World
62.5%Nigeria
55.1%Sub-Saharan Africa
20002006201220182024200020122024
2024: Nigeria 62.5%, sub-Saharan Africa 55.1%, world 91.9%
Nigeria has raised access from 43.2% to 62.5% since 2000, ahead of the sub-Saharan average of 55.1%. The world stands at 91.9%: a gap of 29.4 points still to bridge.
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS), CC BY 4.0. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
View as table
| Year | World | Nigeria | Sub-Saharan Africa |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 78.2% | 43.2% | 25.7% |
| 2001 | 78.7% | 43.9% | 26.2% |
| 2002 | 79.1% | 44.6% | 27.3% |
| 2003 | 80.0% | 52.2% | 29.6% |
| 2004 | 80.0% | 46.1% | 29.4% |
| 2005 | 80.7% | 46.8% | 29.4% |
| 2006 | 81.4% | 47.6% | 31.2% |
| 2007 | 82.0% | 50.1% | 32.5% |
| 2008 | 82.7% | 50.3% | 32.4% |
| 2009 | 82.9% | 50.0% | 32.6% |
| 2010 | 83.5% | 48.0% | 33.3% |
| 2011 | 84.5% | 55.9% | 35.9% |
| 2012 | 84.9% | 53.0% | 36.8% |
| 2013 | 85.7% | 55.6% | 38.0% |
| 2014 | 86.2% | 54.2% | 38.4% |
| 2015 | 86.9% | 52.5% | 39.2% |
| 2016 | 88.1% | 59.3% | 43.8% |
| 2017 | 88.9% | 54.4% | 43.8% |
| 2018 | 89.8% | 56.5% | 46.4% |
| 2019 | 90.1% | 55.4% | 47.2% |
| 2020 | 90.4% | 55.4% | 48.5% |
| 2021 | 91.3% | 59.5% | 50.7% |
| 2022 | 91.3% | 60.5% | 51.5% |
| 2023 | 91.6% | 61.2% | 53.3% |
| 2024 | 91.9% | 62.5% | 55.1% |
What we do
Six services, one energy future.
From policy advisory and ESG strategy to market intelligence and capacity building, we help governments, businesses, investors and development partners make informed decisions that shape a cleaner, more resilient energy future.
Tarfaya Wind Farm, Morocco. Photo: TEDxTarfaya, CC BY-SA 2.0
01Energy Transition Advisory
Net-zero strategies, decarbonisation roadmaps and transition plans, with renewable integration and climate resilience built in.
City Gate, Abuja, at sunset. Photo: Baqeer Gashua, Unsplash
02Energy Economics & Policy
Energy market analysis, regulatory advice, economic impact studies, tariff analysis and policy development.
Gas flare at Obunagha, Bayelsa State, at dawn. Photo: OgbuefiPascal, CC BY-SA 4.0
03ESG & Sustainability
ESG strategy and reporting, materiality assessments, sustainability reporting and carbon management.
Street market, Lagos, from above. Photo: Fahd Aminu, Unsplash
04Research & Analytics
Market intelligence, industry reports, feasibility studies, data analytics and scenario modelling.
Lecture hall. Photo: Henry Storck, Unsplash
05Capacity Development
Executive training, energy transition workshops, ESG education, leadership development and public policy seminars.
A lineman on the Ethiopia to Kenya interconnector, Ethiopia. Photo: Rod Waddington, CC BY-SA 2.0
06Project Advisory
Project and programme management, stakeholder engagement, risk management, and monitoring and evaluation.
Who we serve
For the institutions that shape energy systems.
Our advice is built for four kinds of institution, from energy ministries and regulators to investors, development partners and research institutes.
01
Governments
- Energy ministries
- Regulators
- State agencies
02
Private sector
- Oil and gas
- Utilities
- Renewable energy developers
- Manufacturing
- Financial institutions
03
Development partners
- Multilateral development banks
- Bilateral agencies
- UN agencies
- Foundations and non-governmental organisations
04
Academia
- Research institutes
- Universities
Our founder
Dr Olugbenga Olaoye
Founder/CEO, Olivia Energy · Energy economist
PhD in Economics, Master of Public Service, Executive MBA, Project Management Professional and Certified ScrumMaster.
An energy economist who bridges industry, academia and public policy. He holds a PhD in Economics from Covenant University, a Master of Public Service from the Clinton School of Public Service and an executive MBA from Lagos Business School, and he writes on energy security, the Dangote refinery and the energy transition for BusinessDay.
- 9journal articles since 2022ORCID 0000-0003-2658-916X
- 200+citationsGoogle Scholar, retrieved 2 October 2026
- 11op-eds in BusinessDayBusinessDay, June 2025 to September 2026
Commentary
On the record, in BusinessDay.
Dr Olaoye writes on energy security, the Dangote refinery and the energy transition: eleven op-eds since June 2025, and quoted as an energy economist in twelve BusinessDay reports.
11 op-eds · quoted in 12 BusinessDay reports
All commentaryNations that fail to refine what they produce will always import the consequences of global instability.
Olivia Energy Insights is building a library of:
- Energy transition briefings
- Downstream market outlooks
- African Energy Outlook
- ESG insights
- Policy briefs
- Executive commentaries
- Research papers
- Webinars and podcasts
We believe
- Energy changes lives.
- Policy shapes markets.
- Innovation accelerates progress.
- Knowledge drives transformation.