Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai has announced that the state Ministry of Science and Technology, in collaboration with Science Technology Forum (STF), has successfully produced bio-ethanol fuel from sugarcane.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State recently announced that the state Ministry of Science and Technology, in collaboration with Science Technology Forum (STF), has successfully produced bio-ethanol fuel from sugarcane.
He made the announcement during an international workshop on biofuel production technology, which took place at the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT), Zaria.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the state’s Ministry of Science and Technology, Madina Shehu, El-Rufa’i said the government intended to upgrade that initiative into a full scale commercial outfit.
“In line with this initiative, the state government is on the process of constructing another plant at Unguwan Mu’azu to produce bio-diesel from Jatropha Curcas,” El-Rufa’i said.
The Director General of NARICT, Professor Idris Bugaje, in his remarks, advocated for inclusion of biofuel training at the undergraduate, National Certificate in Education (NCE), National and Higher National Diploma (ND and HND) levels in order to address the country’s renewable energy challenges.
He said it was imperative for the country to give emphasis to research on biofuel in view of the fact that renewable energy played critical role in national growth and development of countries world over, adding that the sector could create job opportunities to the army of the country’s unemployed youths.
Speaking at the event, former vice-chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Ango Abdullahi, said Nigeria needs to find alternative to firewood, otherwise desert encroachment would continue to be one of the predicaments of the country.