Cellulosic ethanol production from agricultural residues in Nigeria Edward Iye, Paul Bilsborrow n School of Agriculture Food and Rural Development, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom HIGHLIGHTS  Nigeria′s Biofuels Policy mandates a 10% blend of bioethanol with gasoline.  Total bioethanol production from agricultural residues was 7556 km 3 per annum.  Process residues offer the greatest potential accounting for 62% of production.  Nigeria has the potential for 12 large- and 11 medium scale commercial.  The use of mixed feedstocks significantly increases the potential for production. article info Article history: Received 4 March 2013 Accepted 12 August 2013 Keywords: Cellulosic ethanol Agricultural residues Nigeria abstract Nigeria′s Biofuels Policy introduced in 2007 mandates a 10% blend (E10) of bioethanol with gasoline. This study investigates the potential for the development of a cellulosic ethanol industry based on the availability of agricultural residues and models the number of commercial processing facilities that could be sited in the six Geo-political zones. The potential for cellulosic ethanol production from agricultural residues in Nigeria is 7556 km 3 per annum exceeding the mandate of 10% renewable fuel required and providing the potential for 12 large- and 11 medium-scale processing facilities based on the use of a single feedstock. Cassava and yam peelings provided in excess of 80% of the process residues available with enough feedstock to supply 10 large-scale facilities with a fairly even distribution across the zones. Sorghum straw, millet straw and maize stalks represented 75% of the potential resource available from field residues with the potential to supply 2 large- and 7 medium-scale processing facilities, all of which would be located in the north of the country. When a multi-feedstock approach is used, this provides the potential for either 29 large- or 58 medium-scale facilities based on outputs of 250 and 125 km 3 per annum respectively. & 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction The Nigerian economy is heavily dependent on oil with the country in 2011 being the 14th largest oil producer globally and accounting for about 3% of total world production (EIA, 2012). Nearly all of this crude oil is exported and refined overseas because the countries four refineries (Port Harcourt I and II, Warri, and Kaduna) are all currently operating at a low percentage of refining capacity as a result of poor maintenance, theft, and fire (EIA, 2012). As a result, the country is currently importing most of its refined petroleum products which together with subsidized consumption is costing the Nigerian government $3–4 billion per year (IEA, 2010). In the 1950s, agriculture was the main stay of the Nigerian economy and contributed to over 94% of government revenue and 60–70% of total exports (Daramola et al., 2008). Since the dis- covery of Nigerian oil in the 1970s, agriculture′s significance has declined, and oil now totals 95% of exports and 40% of government revenues (EIA, 2012); while agriculture only accounts for 0.2% of exports (Daramola et al., 2008). Declining agricultural production arising from a new total dependence on crude oil export as a means of growing the economy together with an inefficient food marketing system has over the years resulted in Nigeria being dependent on food imports to feed the rapidly growing population. Despite the large fossil fuel production capacity, Nigeria joined other nations in their quest for biofuel production by promoting and implementing a biofuel development and adoption program (Biofuels Policy and Incentives) in 2007 (NNPC, 2007). The policy Contents lists available at ScienceDirect journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/enpol Energy Policy 0301-4215/$ - see front matter & 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2013.08.048 Abbreviations: CBP, Consolidated bio-processing; GHG, Greenhouse gas; km 3 , kilo m 3 (m 3  10 3 ); Mg, Megagram (g  10 6 ); Mm 3 , (m 3  10 6 ); MSW, Municipal solid waste; NNPC, Nigerian National Petroleum Council; PMS, Petroleum Motor Spirit i.e. gasoline/petrol; RFS, Renewable Fuel Standard; RED, Renewable Energy Directive; RPR, Residue to production ratio; SSF, Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation; VAT, Value added tax n Corresponding author. Tel.: þ44 191 222 6868; fax: þ44 191 222 7811. E-mail address: paul.bilsborrow@ncl.ac.uk (P. Bilsborrow). Please cite this article as: Iye, E., Bilsborrow, P., Cellulosic ethanol production from agricultural residues in Nigeria. Energy Policy (2013), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2013.08.048i Energy Policy ∎ (∎∎∎∎) ∎∎∎–∎∎∎