By Precious Akutamadu
The Nigerian Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (NIEEE) has urged engineers to enforce professional standards and reject unsafe practices to protect lives and infrastructure
NIEEE President, Dr Felix Adeboye, made the call at an event organised by the association to commemorate the 2026 World Standards Day in Port Harcourt on Monday.
Adeboye stressed the need for strict regulatory compliance and continuous professional development, adding that engineers occupied a position of public trust.
He said their responsibilities extended beyond technical competence to include integrity and accountability, urging them to reject substandard practices that could endanger lives.
He urged Nigeria and other African countries to move beyond consuming international standards and participate actively in their development and implementation.
He said Nigerian engineers, researchers, industries, and universities should contribute to national and international standard setting processes to ensure that local conditions and developmental priorities were represented.
Adeboye called for stronger collaboration among governments, regulators, standards organisations, academia, and industries to improve compliance and prepare engineers for emerging technologies.
The NIEEE president said standards were essential for guiding innovation and safeguarding society as engineering systems became increasingly digital, interconnected, and sustainable.
The Chairman of the occasion, Mr Giandomenico Massari, warned that cutting corners in engineering could cause infrastructure failure, financial losses, and loss of lives.
Massari urged engineers to comply with approved designs and established standards while improving their knowledge and skills to meet evolving professional demands.
He also highlighted the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in engineering, noting that its use required proper human supervision to prevent errors and misleading results.
He encouraged Nigerians to patronise locally manufactured electrical cables and other quality engineering materials to promote industrial growth, create jobs, and strengthen the economy.
Meanwhile, 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.
Mr Joseph John, the keynote speaker who represented NERC, said the review would align the code with the Electricity Act 2023 and address emerging technologies in the electricity sector.
He said the review would clarify the functions of the Nigerian Independent System Operator and other sector operators while strengthening grid security, transmission access, and real-time monitoring.
John added that grid stability depended on effective control of frequency, voltage, and phase angle, alongside a balance between electricity generation and supply.
Similarly, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Aminu Maida, called for stronger collaboration among telecommunications, power, and engineering stakeholders to protect critical infrastructure and improve digital services.
Maida, represented by Mr Joseph Emeshili, Head of Spectrum Planning at the NCC, said standardisation was essential for network security, equipment compatibility, interoperability, and quality service delivery.
He said the NCC’s Type Approval Process ensured that telecommunications devices met established technical and safety requirements before deployment in Nigeria.
Maida urged government agencies, engineers, and construction companies to protect telecommunications cables and facilities from damage during road construction.
He said emerging technologies, including the Internet of Things (IoT) and fifth-generation (5G) networks, offered opportunities to improve infrastructure monitoring and digital services.
NAN reports that the event featured the presentation of an award to the chairman of the occasion and certificates of appreciation to presenters from engineering and regulatory organisations. (NAN) www.nannews.ng
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Edited by Grace Alegba
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