The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has urged the members of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) to strengthen their collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Power in addressing persistent challenges in the country’s power sector.
Adelabu made this call in Abuja when the NSE leadership, led by its President, Engr. Margaret Aina Oguntala paid him a courtesy call to discuss potential areas of partnership.
The meeting, according to a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by Adelabu’s Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations, Bolaji Tunji, focused on strategic collaborations, mentorship opportunities, and the critical role of NSE in providing technical advisory support to the ministry.
The minister was quoted as saying that, given the number of engineers the country has produced, Nigeria should have overcome its engineering-related challenges, particularly in the power sector.
He stressed the need for engineers to prioritise training, mentor younger professionals, and serve as role models to encourage greater interest in the profession.
“There is no way to separate the Power Ministry from the NSE because most of our work here is engineering-related, so there is a natural relationship between us.
“But the issue is, has this relationship translated into mutual benefits? Has the ministry benefited from the competence of NSE members in enhancing power infrastructure to ensure a stable, functional, and reliable electricity supply?’’ he said.
He challenged the NSE to ensure its activities contributed to improving the efficiency of critical infrastructure in the ministry, noting that despite the society’s establishment in 1958, Nigeria still grapples with issues like grid collapses.
“We have so many engineers in Nigeria, yet our power infrastructure remains in this state. NSE was established 67 years ago, yet we are still experiencing grid collapses. What are our engineers doing? Should it be like this? The answer is no,” he asserted.
Reviewing the federal government’s efforts since the current administration took office, Adelabu enumerated the progress in electricity generation.
He noted that it took nearly four decades for Nigeria to increase generation capacity from 2,000 megawatts in 1984 to 4,000 megawatts by 2022. However, in less than two years under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, generation has risen to 6,003 megawatts.
“In 1984, the country generated 2,000 MW of electricity, and it took about 40 years to increase that to 4,000 MW by 2022. In just two years, we have increased it to 6,000 MW. This progress is a testament to President Tinubu’s commitment to revitalising the power sector,” he said.
Adelabu urged the NSE to focus on addressing infrastructural challenges as a demonstration of patriotism and nationalism. He stressed that the ministry does not award contracts to companies that are not NSE-certified, highlighting the sector’s unique nature compared to other government agencies.
“It is a slight on us if we cannot address these challenges. I’m calling on the NSE to work with us to solve Nigeria’s power sector problems using your expertise. The power sector is unique, and we are fulfilling our obligations to you, but you have not reciprocated this to us,” he noted.
In her remarks, the NSE President, Oguntala, assured the minister that the society would take up the challenges posed and remain committed to contributing technical expertise to improve Nigeria’s power sector.
She reiterated the NSE’s dedication to fostering innovation and enhancing capacity development within the industry.