LAGOS/Nigeria: A University of Lagos environmental management professor, Isaiah Akoteyon, has called for greater public and private investment in renewable energy research, storage technology and electricity grid integration, saying these areas require sustained attention to improve the performance of clean energy systems in Nigeria.
Akoteyon made the recommendation at the sixth annual conference and induction of associate members of the Society of Energy Administrators (SEA) of Nigeria, held in Lagos on Thursday.
He argued that investment in renewable energy should go beyond the installation of equipment to include research and development capable of improving efficiency, strengthening energy storage and addressing challenges associated with connecting renewable sources to electricity grids.
Akoteyon, who was identified in the supplied account as Acting Dean of the University of Lagos faculty responsible for environmental studies, also called for stronger environmental policies to support the country’s energy transition.
He said governments should enforce environmental standards that limit emissions from fossil fuels while encouraging the adoption of technologies that reduce energy waste.
The professor further stressed the importance of public education, noting that consumers needed greater awareness of practical ways to conserve energy in their homes, workplaces and communities.
According to him, sustained campaigns on efficient energy use could help reduce unnecessary consumption and associated carbon emissions.
He also highlighted the need to expand access to energy and strengthen cross-border cooperation among countries, urging the professional body to consider these issues as part of its recommendations for improving energy administration.
The conference was held under the theme, “Advancing Energy Process Environment Climate Adaptation Standardisation: Panacea for Climate Change and Sustainable Cities and Communities in Nigeria.”
Representing the General Manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Dr Babatunde Ajayi, a Director of Oil and Gas in the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Sesan Odukoya, expressed the state government’s readiness to collaborate with the society on initiatives aimed at protecting the environment.
Odukoya commended SEA for its efforts to promote environmental protection and sustainable energy administration in Nigeria and Lagos State.
Chairman of the society, Dr Diran Fawibe, also commended its leadership and members for their efforts to strengthen the organisation and advance its professional responsibilities.
The Head of the Electrical Laboratory at the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mr Ismaila Lawal, described the society’s activities as significant and welcomed the opportunity for collaboration.
Lawal urged SEA to formally engage SON’s management to establish a framework for the standards agency’s involvement in the society’s activities.
In his opening remarks, SEA President and Project Director, Dr Yekeen Adeboye, commended the Federal Government’s energy transition initiatives, including the adoption of compressed natural gas for transport, electric vehicles and liquefied petroleum gas as a cleaner cooking fuel.
Adeboye also welcomed the constitutional change removing electricity from the Exclusive Legislative List, describing it as an opportunity to strengthen energy security across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
He said SEA would continue to serve as a professional think tank for advancing energy administration and supporting sustainable development.
The society operates through two divisions, which Adeboye identified as Energy Process Engineering Compliance Administrators (EPECA) and Energy Compliance Administrators (EPMCA).
The conference also featured the induction of associate members, who took their oaths of membership and received certificates.
