The Nigerian Institution of Environmental Engineers (NIEE) have advocated for increased technology adoption in Nigeria’s Energy Transition implementation strategy.
This call was made by the National Chairman, Engr Sesan Odukoya at the 2022 Annual Conference of NIEE Lagos Chapter with the theme “Understanding Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plans”.
According to the engineers, the challenges to meeting Nigeria’s Energy Transition goals seem insurmountable, and the execution pathway would be vastly different from what the plan proposes in the face of market, financing and technological realities.
However, according to Engr Odukoya, dynamic technologies for the Energy Transition including technologies for hydrogen production and electric vehicles need to be localised to meet these goals.
Complementary options would be combining efforts geared towards economic development and climate action, says outgoing NIEE Lagos Chapter Chairman, Engr. Abiola Kosegbe.
Engr Kosegbe, who is also the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning lamented the spate of climate fuelled disasters in the country, including, desertification in the north, floods around the country and coastal erosion, all of which have serious negative impacts on the energy transition.
Speaking on Impacts of the Environment on the Energy Transition, the keynote Speaker, Prof. Magnus Onuoha opined that it would take considerable and collaborative efforts to develop interventions that would mitigate against climate change.
“The Energy Transition Plan is a mitigation strategy which has evolved from several policies and interventions”, says Prof Onuoha.
The Vice Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Nigeria Renewable Energy Associations Alliance, Prof Magnus, stated that the Energy Transition Plan is not a stand alone strategy but is meant to be effected alongside several other initiatives which would provide the needed support mechanism and adaptive structure for the plan to achieve it’s set objectives.
Such adaptation strategies could be seen in the efforts of Quadloop, a Nigerian Startup which uses waste materials to produce energy efficient lighting systems.
Mr Dozie Igweilo, CEO of Quadloop, said his organization recognized the immense potential in waste and how such resources could be utilised in Nigeria’s drive for a circular economy driven energy transition.
The Job potential in the Energy Transition is unquantifiable, says Engr. Adebola Matomi, General Manager of Lagos WasteWater Management Office, a fellow of the Insitution. ‘With growing technological advancements, the inherent opportunities not just for youth empowerment but for career transition are numerous’, he concluded.
Recognition awards were bestowed on three companies, Elfad Concepts Ltd, Geoburg Services Limited and Zebra G3 Services for their consistent sponsorship and support of NIEE Lagos activities.
The high point of the conference was the emergence of a new chapter chairman, Engr Yusuf Majolagbe, who was the immediate vice chairman of the chapter.
