Engineers Urged to Harness Digital Technology for Reliable Power

By Atlantic Reports

Engineers must develop digital solutions suited to Nigeria’s electricity and telecommunications challenges, rather than simply adopt emerging technologies, the Nigerian Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (NIEEE) has said.

NIEEE President Dr Felix Adeboye made the call on Tuesday at the 22nd International Conference and Exhibition on Power and Telecommunications in Port Harcourt.

The conference, themed “Energy Transition in the Digital Era: The Nexus, Challenges and Opportunities”, brought attention to how digital tools could support cleaner energy and more reliable electricity services.

Adeboye identified artificial intelligence, machine learning, the Internet of Things, digital twins and advanced communication networks as technologies reshaping energy generation, transmission, distribution and consumption.

“Our task is not merely to adopt new technologies, but to develop solutions that respond to our realities,” he said.

He called for solutions that strengthen grid resilience, integrate renewable energy, reduce technical and commercial losses, improve telecommunications infrastructure and attract investment.

Connecting Cleaner Energy and Digital Systems

Energy Commission of Nigeria Director-General Dr Mustafa Abdullahi also advocated closer integration of digital technology into the country’s energy system.

His keynote address was delivered by Dr Manasseh Sheeta, Acting Director of the National Centre for Energy Efficiency at the University of Lagos.

“For decades, we treated energy and digital technology as two separate industries. Today, those boundaries have entirely dissolved,” Abdullahi said.

He described an evolving energy system in which centralised infrastructure increasingly operates alongside solar installations, wind farms, electric vehicle charging stations and battery storage.

He said digital tools could help manage those networks by forecasting generation, balancing supply and demand and improving distribution.

Digital twins, which are virtual representations of physical assets or systems, were among the technologies he identified for this work.

However, Abdullahi cautioned that digitalisation also presented challenges, including rising electricity demand, cybersecurity threats and inadequate infrastructure.

Safety and Accountability in Engineering

Adeboye said an inclusive energy transition required cooperation among engineers, researchers, government, industry, investors and communities.

He announced a dedicated NIEEE Fellows Assembly to examine artificial intelligence’s implications for engineering practice and professional responsibility.

Discussions would cover ethics, safety, cybersecurity, human oversight, education, standards and regulation.

These issues place responsibility alongside innovation. Technologies used in essential services must be assessed for their reliability, security and suitability for the communities they serve.

Adeboye also said students and young engineers would demonstrate their skills through quiz and project exhibition competitions.

From Conference Ideas to Practical Results

The traditional ruler of Nyenwele Rumueprikom Kingdom in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, Amahule Owabie, welcomed the conference and expressed hope that its discussions would encourage community support for power sector development.

Adeboye urged participants to turn the knowledge exchanged into practical technologies, stronger industry-academia partnerships and sound policies.

The supplied account did not announce funded projects, deployment locations or implementation deadlines. The technologies discussed therefore represent proposed tools and opportunities, rather than demonstrated improvements in Nigeria’s electricity supply.

For households and businesses, their value will depend on whether they deliver more dependable service, wider access and infrastructure that can be maintained over time.

Atlantic Reports: Voices. People. Facts.