MAELF Fellows Engage ECN DG, NASENI Boss, Dr. Kadiri, and Three State Energy Commissioners

The Mustapha Abdullahi Energy Leadership Fellowship (MAELF), organised by the APC National Youth Wing in collaboration with the DAM Foundation, continued on Day Two with an engaging fireside chat featuring the Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi.

Dr. Abdullahi urged the fellows to embrace excellence, resilience, innovation, and healthy competition, stressing that success requires hard work, discipline, and continuous self-improvement. He also highlighted the growing impact of artificial intelligence, noting that the future belongs to problem-solvers. “AI is reaching a point where what matters is who has the solution, not your influence,” he said.

Speaking on Advanced Grid Architecture, Energy Storage Systems, Pumped Hydro, and Emerging Technologies for Balancing Intermittency, the Executive Secretary of the Association of Local Distributors of Gas, Dr. John Kadiri, encouraged participants to drive innovation and sustainability, describing sustainable energy as the bridge to a better future.

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Suleiman Khalil Halilu, delivered a session on Advancing Clean Energy Manufacturing, urging innovators to align technology with policy, energy, and investment while remaining resilient in the face of criticism.

The fellowship also featured a panel on State-Level Energy Governance and Resource Management, with the Honourable Commissioners for Energy from Enugu, Hon. Enyinnaya Franklin Ogbonna; Lagos, Hon. Biodun Ogunleye; and Ondo, Hon. Johnson Jaiyeola Alabi, who shared insights into their states’ energy ecosystems and governance strategies.

The day’s activities concluded with an interactive session, as fellows engaged the speakers and gained practical insights into leadership, innovation, and Nigeria’s energy transition.