Mainstreaming Renewable Energy in Nigeria’s National Development Planning Frameworks

Nigeria's national development planning documents, including successive National Development Plans, Medium-Term Expenditure Frameworks, and sectoral strategies, have historically treated renewable energy as a marginal consideration rather than a central development investment, resulting in fragmented implementation and inconsistent budget allocations. This study examines the extent to which renewable energy has been mainstreamed in Nigeria's national development planning frameworks over the period 2016 to 2024, analysing policy coherence, budget allocation patterns, and institutional coordination mechanisms. A systematic documentary analysis of eight national planning instruments and nine sectoral policies was conducted using a mainstreaming assessment framework that evaluates intent, resource allocation, institutional mandate, and monitoring provisions. Budget execution data from the Budget Office of the Federation were analysed to compare renewable energy appropriations against stated policy commitments. Semi-structured interviews with planning officials in the National Planning Commission and the Federal Ministry of Power provided insider perspectives on coordination challenges. Results confirm that renewable energy appears prominently in policy texts but receives budget allocations averaging only 0.7 percent of total energy sector appropriations, with significant disbursement shortfalls in years reviewed. The study identifies weak inter-ministerial coordination, absence of mandatory renewable energy budget tagging, and infrequent policy monitoring as primary mainstreaming failures. Recommendations propose a renewable energy budget tagging system and establishment of an inter-ministerial renewable energy coordination secretariat within the National Planning Commission. Keywords: renewable energy mainstreaming, national development planning, Nigeria, energy policy, budget alignment.