By Angela Atabo
The Nigerian Institution of Environmental Engineers (NIEE), Abuja Chapter, on Tuesday held its 2025 Public Lecture, Induction and Annual General Meeting, with a call for stronger professional commitment to sustainable environmental solutions.
The Chapter Chairman, Uche Patrick-Obikile, in her welcome address, said the annual event provided a platform to share knowledge, strengthen capacity and review progress within the institution.
She said environmental engineers played a crucial role in tackling challenges in waste management, renewable energy, water resources, climate resilience and environmental policy.
She added that their expertise remained vital to building cleaner and healthier cities.
Patrick-Obikile urged the newly inducted members to uphold professional ethics, embrace continuous learning and contribute actively to the institution’s development, saying their membership was a call to responsibility.
She said the Abuja chapter would in 2026 deepen collaboration with government, academia and industry, promote research and advocacy on sustainable environmental practices, and intensify mentoring of young engineers.
The chairman thanked members, invited guests and partners for supporting the chapter’s activities, expressing optimism that the engagements would inspire greater contributions to national development.
In his keynote address, the National Chairman of NIEE, Dr Nureni Ogunyemi, commended the chapter for its coordination and leadership, noting that the event would be his last official engagement with the Abuja Chapter before handing over to a new national chairman.
Ogunyemi said the theme of the lecture, “Innovative Environmental Engineering Solutions for a Resilient Economy”, was timely, noting that Nigeria faced pressures from waste mismanagement, pollution, flooding and climate change.
He said a resilient economy could not be built on weak environmental practices, adding that engineers must drive innovation, adopt modern technologies and champion sustainable systems.
He urged participants to engage actively with the keynote presentation, which he said would highlight practical pathways for deploying engineering solutions to support environmental protection and economic growth.
Congratulating inductees, Ogunyemi said the profession valued excellence, integrity and service, while describing the awardees’ recognition as a testament to their commitment.
He announced that the NIEE National Annual General Meeting would hold from Nov. 28 to Nov. 29, at the University of Ibadan, with the theme “Blue Economy, Green Practices — Engineering for Environmental Integrity”.
He urged members to participate in discussions shaping the institution’s future direction.
The chairman thanked the Abuja Chapter for hosting the event and expressed optimism that the deliberations would contribute to environmental sustainability and national development.
The guest speaker, Mrs Valerie Agberagba, General Manager, Generations Project at the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), called for innovative environmental engineering solutions to strengthen Nigeria’s resilience.
She highlighted the need to address climate impacts, reduce gas emissions and promote clean energy and water security through nature-based interventions.
Agberagba urged a shift to circular-economy waste management, noting that pollution and open defecation remained widespread.
She stressed collective action, including waste-to-energy initiatives, and called for stronger engineering capacity in the power sector.
She also urged the NIEE to prioritise member development and deepen collaboration with relevant stakeholders to support infrastructure growth across the sector. (NAN)
Edited by Tosin Kolade
