Impact of Non-Renewable Energy, Renewable Energy and Government Effectiveness on Carbon Emissions in Nigeria

This study is aimed at empirically investigating the effect of renewable energy, non-renewable
energy and government effectiveness on carbon emissions in Nigeria. The study is motivated
by Nigeria’s extreme over reliance on fossil fuel, which causes significant environmental
degradation. The gap addressed is the use of government effectiveness as the major interactive
term showing these effects. The time period was from 1996- 2023 (28 years). The study used
various econometric tests, after descriptive tests have been done such as, Unit Root Test, ARDL
Model with Post Estimation tests of Serial Correlation Test, Histogram-Normality Test,
Homoskedasticity Test, Ramsey RESET Test. The study estimated two models: an impact
model and an interactive model. The first was used to show the direct impact of both energy
sources on carbon emissions. While the latter showed the interactive effect government
effectiveness had when combined with the energy sources on carbon emissions. Findings from
the study revealed that non-renewable energy increases carbon emissions both in long term and
short term. Renewable energy reduced carbon emissions in the long term. But in the short run
its impact was insignificant- showing low renewable use. Finally, government effectiveness
could not affect emissions in the long run or short run, this is attributed to low government
effectiveness in Nigeria and policy lags. It was seen to effectively moderate the polluting effect
of non renewable energy. Thus, government effectiveness was a good moderating term. The
recommendations from this study include stronger emission related regulations, stronger rural
electrification programs and better policy continuity in Nigeria.