The Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria(APWEN) says electricity problems can be tackled if Nigeria’s sources of energy in domestic, commercial and industrial sectors are diversified.
Elizabeth Sterigho, 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.
Sterigho said that the government should also adopt new available technologies in order to reduce energy wastages and to save cost.
She noted that the association was focusing on the issue as stakeholders in the implementation of the energy transition plan of the Federal Government.
“The Federal Government plan announces new opportunities for solar energy companies to obtain results-based finance, from the Universal Energy Facility.
“`Therefore, as female engineers, justice to the theme will enable individuals, particularly corporate organisations on how to key into the transition plan,’’ she said.
According to her, this will make the best of Nigeria’s technology investments in providing modern and sustainable energy.
The APWEN president disclosed that the theme of their 2022 conference is: “JUST Energy Transition: An Enabler for Sustainable Development in Nigeria.’’
“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.
Sterigho stated that access to clean, modern energy services were an enormous challenges 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 in comatose for many years, coupled with 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,’’ she said
The APWEN is a division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers(NSE).
