The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), on Monday, solicited collaboration of Seplat Energy Plc on capacity building for local engineers, renewable energy expansion projects and innovations for national development.
NSE’s President, Mrs Margaret Oguntala, also an engineer, made the appeal while leading a delegation of the society on a visit to Seplat Energy in Lagos.
Oguntala said that the visit was in line with NSE’s objectives and committed to partnerships toward influencing and providing quality advice to governments, commerce and industry sector players, academia and other stakeholders.
She listed programmes embedded in the NSE Strategic Agenda developed by its council to drive growth in various sectors and communities.
She commended the company’s demonstration of leadership through innovations, sustainability, and excellence within the industry and its efforts in pursuing cleaner energy use to reduce carbon emissions.
She said the firm’s efforts in reducing carbon emissions, investing in renewable energy sources, and supporting local communities aligned perfectly with the values and objectives of the NSE.
Oguntala solicited support from the energy firm toward the expansion of NSE’s renewable energy installations at its headquarters in Abuja, as well as capacity building of engineers to ensure the development of the nation.
“We believe that working together with us to expand this infrastructure will go a long way in helping us to achieve our objectives and bolster your contribution to supporting a more sustainable and prosperous future for our country.
“NSE also seeks to collaborate with Seplat Energy in the realm of capacity building and professional development.
“Our engineers are the backbone of the energy sector, and they must be equipped with the latest knowledge, skills, and technologies.
“We propose the establishment of joint training programmes, workshops and research initiatives that will not only enhance the capabilities of our engineers but also drive innovation within the sector.
“As we look towards the future, it is clear that the path to sustainable development lies in strong partnerships and collective actions.
“The NSE is committed to fostering such partnerships, and we are confident that our collaboration with Seplat Energy will yield significant benefits for both our organisations and for the nation as a whole,” she said.
Oguntala announced that the 2024 National Engineering Conference and Exhibition with the theme “Sustainable Engineering Solutions to Food Security and Climate Change” will focus on food security.
She added that the Council of NSE carefully considered and approved the theme for the conference to reflect the desire of President Bola Tinubu in achieving sustainable food security for Nigeria.
The NSE president thanked the Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Seplat Energy, Mr Roger Brown, and his team for hosting the NSE while expressing hope for fruitful partnerships for advancement of Nigeria.
Responding, Brown, CEO of Seplat Energy, thanked the NSE team for recognising the firm as a leading indigenous energy company and for the partnership over the years.
Brown congratulated Oguntala on her emergence as the first female president of NSE since inception in 1958.
According to him, Seplat Energy is leading Nigeria’s energy transition with accessible, affordable and reliable energy that drives social and economic prosperity.
“As the nation’s trusted independent energy supplier, we understand that Nigeria’s energy transition is a unique challenge. It needs leaders with long-term vision, local insight and courage to forge new pathways.
“We are one of them. Step by step, we are bringing together like-minded trailblazers and forming networks of partners to make cleaner forms of energy more available and reliable for everyone.
“Each step propels us further, and in our mission to lead Nigeria’s energy transition with accessible, reliable and sustainable energy that drives Nigeria’s social and economic prosperity.”
“In line with our strategy to deliver energy transition, we have assessed various midstream gas, power, and renewable investment opportunities that are focused on increasing energy supply and reliability, lowering costs, and reducing carbon intensity of Nigeria’s electricity consumption,” he said.
