Engineers Urged to Reject Unsafe Practices, Protect Infrastructure

By Atlantic Reports

The Nigerian Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (NIEEE) has urged engineers to uphold professional standards and reject unsafe practices that put lives and infrastructure at risk.

NIEEE President Dr Felix Adeboye made the call on Monday in Port Harcourt at an event organised to commemorate the 2026 World Standards Day.

He said engineers occupied a position of public trust, with responsibilities extending beyond technical competence to integrity, accountability and strict regulatory compliance.

Adeboye urged practitioners to keep their knowledge current and refuse substandard work that could endanger the public.

Giving local needs a voice in standards

Adeboye also called on Nigeria and other African countries to participate more actively in developing standards, rather than relying solely on those produced elsewhere.

He said engineers, researchers, universities and industries should contribute to national and international standard-setting processes so that local conditions and development priorities were represented.

Stronger cooperation among governments, regulators, standards organisations, academia and industry would help improve compliance and prepare practitioners for emerging technologies, he said.

As engineering systems become more digital and interconnected, Adeboye argued that standards must guide innovation while safeguarding society.

Chairman of the occasion, Giandomenico Massari, warned that cutting corners could lead to infrastructure failure, financial losses and deaths.

He urged engineers to follow approved designs and established standards, while continuing to develop their professional skills.

Massari also said the use of artificial intelligence in engineering required human supervision to guard against errors and misleading results. He encouraged the purchase of quality, locally manufactured electrical cables and other engineering materials to support domestic industry and employment.

NERC outlines grid code review

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) said it was reviewing the national grid code to accommodate renewable energy, distributed energy resources and virtual power plants.

Keynote speaker Joseph John, representing NERC, said the review would align the code with the Electricity Act 2023 and address changes in electricity technology and operations.

He said it would clarify the responsibilities of the Nigerian Independent System Operator and other sector participants, while strengthening grid security, transmission access and real-time monitoring.

John explained that grid stability required effective control of frequency, voltage and phase angle, alongside a balance between electricity generated and electricity demanded.

The review remains an ongoing regulatory exercise. The supplied account did not provide a completion date or implementation timetable.

Protecting telecommunications infrastructure

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Executive Vice Chairman Dr Aminu Maida called for closer cooperation among telecommunications, power and engineering stakeholders to protect critical infrastructure and improve digital services.

Represented by the commission’s Head of Spectrum Planning, Joseph Emeshili, Maida said standardisation supported network security, equipment compatibility and reliable service delivery.

He said the NCC’s Type Approval Process was intended to ensure that telecommunications devices met technical and safety requirements before deployment in Nigeria.

Maida also urged government agencies, engineers and construction companies to protect telecommunications cables and facilities during road works.

He identified the Internet of Things and fifth-generation mobile networks as technologies that could support infrastructure monitoring and digital services.

For households and businesses, the practical stakes are safe installations, dependable electricity and communications networks protected from avoidable damage. The speakers’ calls place responsibility on practitioners, regulators and project owners to make compliance part of everyday engineering work.

Atlantic Reports: Voices. People. Facts.