Nigerian female engineers urge FG to use homegrown technology to solve energy crisis
The Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria(APWEN) has called on the Nigerian Government to adopt homegrown technologies in order to reduce energy wastage and provide power for domestic, commercial, and industrial use.
Elizabeth Eterigho, President of APWEN, made this disclosure at a press briefing to announce the commencement of the association’s four-day conference in Abuja on Monday, with the theme: “JUST Energy Transition: An Enabler for Sustainable Development in Nigeria.’’
EnergyDay gathered that APWEN is a division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers(NSE).
According to APWEN President, the power sector crisis will be addressed if the country takes advantage of the repertoire of Nigeria’s technology investments, as a means to provide modern and sustainable energy.
She said that the association’s four-day conference will speak to how stakeholders, including female engineers, can key into the Federal Government’s plan to explore the potential of indigenous solar energy companies through results-based finance via the Universal Energy Facility.
She said, “A just energy transition is a transition towards a sustainable, low carbon and equitable energy system that is aimed at improving the lives of people and sustains the environment,’’ she said.
Eterigho stated that access to clean, modern energy services was an enormous challenge facing the African continent, particularly Nigeria, saying energy is fundamental to socio-economic development and poverty eradication.
She maintained that in Nigeria, the power sector had been comatose for many years, coupled with the frequent collapse of the national grid.
She further said Nigeria’s source of energy is not renewable, resulting in high carbon leading to environmental pollution.
She stressed that the transition of the energy sector would require significant investments.
She advised that Nigeria should not be left behind as traditional fossil fuel exporting countries are seeking how to leverage the change in demand patterns brought about by energy transition and to decarbonise their economy.
The APWEN president said that perhaps this was why Nigeria launched an energy transition plan, aimed at boosting investments for energy project development to address increasing energy poverty and ensure sustainability.
“The plan includes Nigeria ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all of its 200 million people by the year 2030.
“This would also help achieve net-zero by the year 2060, through massive investments in oil, gas, solar, and other modern energy technologies, such as hydrocarbon and electric vehicles,’’ Eterigho said
