Professional engineers under the aegis of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) have called for intensified efforts to develop climate-resilient infrastructure and sustainable solutions to address the growing impact of climate change on Nigeria’s cities and economy.

They warned that climate change is no longer a future threat but an immediate challenge, already affecting power supply, security and livelihoods across the country.

The engineers spoke at the Olorunfemi Ademola Colloquium, an annual policy lecture series organised by the Ikeja branch of the NSE in Lagos. The event was themed, “Renewable Energy and Climate Change: Opportunities and Challenges.”

The keynote speaker, Mr Olufemi Dosumu, expressed concern that despite Africa’s abundant renewable energy resources, the continent continues to contribute only marginally to global renewable energy generation.

Dosumu said climate change was already affecting Nigeria’s power supply, security and economic activities simultaneously. He said: “We have the sun that is shining almost 365 days of the year, at least eight hours a day at the minimum. We have the wind, we have oceans around us, we have coastal locations, and we have more than enough water bodies.

“Despite the abundance of these natural resources, statistics show that Africa generates just a paltry 82 gigawatts, which is 1.6 per cent of the global renewable energy capacity of 5,149 gigawatts. Our continent also generates just about three per cent of global electricity, based on 2023 data from the International Energy Agency.”

Dosumu attributed the drying up of Lake Chad to rising insecurity in the North-East, adding that farmer-herder clashes across the country followed a similar pattern as grazing land dried up and herders were forced to migrate.

According to him, factors limiting the adoption of renewable energy in Nigeria include inadequate funding, intermittency, weak transmission infrastructure, poor policy and regulation, and a shortage of technical skills.

He noted that Nigeria was targeting net-zero emissions by 2060, with its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) targeting a reduction of about 185 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from 2018 levels, while increasing the share of renewable energy from roughly 20 per cent to 52 per cent.

Dosumu charged engineers to lead research into smarter battery storage systems, local manufacturing and modular renewable energy designs, while taking advantage of the commercial opportunities presented by the country’s natural resources.

He urged engineers to position climate action as an avenue for business and economic growth, noting that trillions of dollars were being invested globally in the sector.

“Climate change has no national boundaries. Climate change threatens business, health, security, infrastructure, lives and livelihoods as well,” he said.

The Chairman of the Ikeja branch of the NSE, Nimot Muili, described the theme as a direct response to one of the country’s most urgent priorities. “Reliable, affordable and responsibly produced energy is fundamental to productive enterprise, resilient infrastructure, effective public services and improved quality of life.

“The challenge before us is to convert technical knowledge and innovation into practical, scalable and sustainable solutions,” she said.

Muili said the colloquium, now in its fifth year and instituted in honour of the 29th NSE President, Ademola Olorunfemi, was designed to connect engineering leadership with Nigeria’s development priorities.

She said this year’s focus on renewable energy and climate change was intended to move the conversation beyond theory towards practical solutions.

Also speaking, the President of the NSE, Ali Rabiu, said Nigeria stood at a defining moment in its development, stressing that engineering must be at the heart of the country’s transformation.

He commended Olorunfemi, noting that during his administration, NSE branches and divisions were encouraged and mandated to organise Nigerian content workshops across the country, thereby keeping advocacy firmly within the consciousness of engineers and other stakeholders.

The NSE president recalled that the national secretariat under Olorunfemi was also directed to procure Nigerian-made products, including locally manufactured vehicles, for official use.