...as Ekiti NSE holds 3rd annual lecture in honour of Dr Ayodele Afolabi
Engineers in Ekiti have called for urgent adoption of a Zero-Waste Grid model to curb energy losses and address Nigeria’s persistent electricity supply challenges.
The call was made at the 3rd Annual Public Lecture of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, Ado-Ekiti Branch, held in honour of its pioneer Chairman, Engr. Dr. Ayodele Afolabi Esan, FNIEE.
The lecture, themed Powering Tomorrow: Engineering the Zero-Waste Grid,”_ focused on engineering solutions for a more sustainable and efficient power system.
Delivering the lecture, Chairman of Ado Local Council Development Area, LCDA, Hon. Engr. Augustine Toyin Ojo, FNSE, said Nigeria must urgently address inefficiencies in its electricity sector before achieving a sustainable energy future.
He noted that although the country has an installed generation capacity of about 13,625 megawatts, only between 4,000 and 4,600 megawatts are currently generated and transmitted through the national grid, far below the estimated national demand of 30,000 megawatts.
He explained that a Zero-Waste Grid integrates renewable energy, energy storage systems, waste-to-energy technologies, and smart electricity networks to minimise energy losses and ensure efficient utilisation of available power.
He identified ageing infrastructure, obsolete transformers, energy theft, illegal connections, and inadequate maintenance as major causes of electricity losses, and called for sustained investment in modern power infrastructure and smart grid technologies.
In their goodwill messages, the Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Engr. Dr. T. J. Alake, described the lecture as timely, stressing that green energy remains critical to reducing the over 40 per cent of electricity reportedly lost in the country.
The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Science and Technology, Iyin Ekiti, Prof. Gbenga Aribisala, also identified energy as one of Nigeria’s greatest development challenges, noting that the high cost of electricity generation continues to increase production costs and the prices of goods and services.
Also speaking, the Royal Father of the Day, Oba David Olawunmi, the Oloja of Owatedo, commended the guest lecturer for the insightful presentation and urged the NSE to intensify public enlightenment on the need to achieve a zero-waste grid.
He expressed confidence that implementing the recommendations would improve power efficiency and accelerate national development.
Speaking at the event,. Dr. Ayodele Afolabi Esan, FNIEE, attributed his achievements in the engineering profession to hard work, discipline, and dedication.
On her own, the host and chairman of NSE, Ado Ekiti branch, Engr. Tola Alawode, FNSE, encouraged younger engineers to maximise their youthful energy by pursuing excellence, embracing innovation, and developing practical solutions to societal challenges.
One of the participating students, Oluwaseun Adetokunbo, described the lecture as inspiring and enlightening, saying it had motivated him to contribute meaningfully to solving Nigeria’s energy challenges.
The event ended with a renewed call for stronger collaboration among engineers, government, electricity providers, and consumers to eliminate power wastage, improve energy efficiency, and build a more sustainable electricity sector.
