Adebisi Osim, President of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), has called on the Federal Government to increase its budgetary allocation for renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydropower to reduce the strain on the national power grid.

Osim gave this advice while speaking on the second day of the APWEN 2024 International Conference Exhibition and Annual General Meeting held at Summit Hill, Calabar, Cross River State on Tuesday.

The President of APWEN explained that the development of smart grids and energy efficient technologies could lead to a reduction in the carbon footprint.

Osim advocated for the development of policies that promote public-private partnerships to reduce the pressure that electricity consumers place on the national grid, provide rural and underserved communities with access to reliable energy, and promote inclusivity and economic growth.

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Speaking on the topic of “Engineering Innovation and Energy Security for a Sustainable Future”, Osim said: “I urge our government to give top priority to addressing the energy crises that have long plagued Nigeria. We must invest in sustainable energy solutions and leverage our engineering expertise to create a resilient energy infrastructure.”

“We must advocate for policies that support renewable energy initiatives and promote public-private partnerships to improve energy access across the country.

“We need to explore innovative solutions that harness the power of engineering to address this challenge and secure a sustainable future for the nation,” she said.

She stressed that the engineering community is ready to contribute its wealth of knowledge and expertise to work with the government in solving the country’s energy crises.