The Executive Secretary, Petroleum Technology Development Fund, Prof. Shua’ibu Aliyu, has reiterated the PTDF’s commitment to strengthening research, innovation and human capital development in Nigerian universities.
The Secretary said the PTDF seeks not only to support academic excellence but also to promote researches that address real national and industry challenges.
Aliyu, who made this assertion at the University of Benin, Benin City, during PDTF Professional Chair in Renewable Energy: Close Out ceremony, on Thursday, noted that as Nigeria’s energy landscape continues to evolve, there is a growing need for research institutions to develop practical and commercially viable solutions in renewable energy and other emerging technologies.
Aliyu, who was represented by Ereh Iyalla, Head Gas Division, PTDF, asserted that the seminar theme – Agrowaste to Fuel: Biodiesel Development, Opportunities and Challenges for Youth Employment tn the 21st Century – was timely and highly relevant to Nigeria’s quest for sustainable energy, environmental protection, economic diversification and youth employment.
Aliyu noted that “the focus on converting agricultural waste into biodiesel demonstrates the potential of research and innovation to transform challenges into opportunities. Beyond providing an alternative energy source, such innovations can support waste management, entrepreneurship, local technology development and employment opportunities for young Nigerians.
“As Nigeria’s energy landscape ontinues to evolve, there is a growing need for research institutions to develop practical and commercially viable solutions in renewable energy and other emerging technologies.
“We therefore encourage researchers to ensure that reseach outcome move beyond academic publications to technology development, demonstration, industry adoption and commercialization,” he added.
The chairholder, PTDF chair in Renewable Energy, UNIBEN, Prof. Kensington Obahiagbaon, who also delivered the lecture, noted that the global dependence on fossil diesel has created twin problems of gas emissions and energy insecurity.
According to him, global energy crisis, climate change, and waste management burden have made agrowaste to fuel a critical pathway for the 21st century, adding using a agro-waste as biodiesel feedstock is a core principle of the circular economy.
He outlined the opportunities, challenges and roadmap for biodiesel development in Nigeria. He identified government support through tax incentives, subsidies and infrastructure investment as essential to advancing the sector.
He also highlighted the importance of private-sector investment in bridging funding gaps and providing the technology and expertise required for large-scale production.
Obahiagbaon also identified inadequate infrastructure, including roads, storage facilities and refineries, as well as the need for a stable and sustainable supply of feedstock, such as vegetable oils and animal fats, as major challenges.
Obahiagbaon stressed that Nigeria’s biodiesel prospects depended not only on available technology and feedstock but also on effective organisation, investment and coordinated action.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Edoba Omoregie, SAN, attended the workshop alongside other principal officers of the university.
In his remarks, Omoregie expressed appreciation to the PTDF for selecting UNIBEN as a beneficiary of the initiative, noting that the university’s Faculty of Engineering was known for excellence.
He described UNIBEN as a leading institution and emphasised the importance of renewable energy to national development, assuring the Fund that the university would continue to value the partnership and maximise the opportunities it offers.