Dear Lagos Engineers, we present for your reading pleasure this month edition of Lagos branch e-newsletter containing our activities in September 2023. NSE Lagos Branch held an Online Seminar via zoom on Saturday 9th September, 2023, with the topic: ‘Past, Present & Future Challenges of Energy Sector in Nigeria.’’. The guest speaker is Engr. Shittu Ismail Adetola, MNSE.
Lagos Branch Exco members held the September Executive meeting on Tuesday 12th September, 2023.
NSE Lagos Branch held General meeting on Tuesday 19th September, 2023 with Technical Session titled:” Polymer Economy: An Emerging Materials Order” by Dr. Babatunde Bolasodun, Dept of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, University of Lagos
The facilitator Dr Bolasodun describe polymer as huge part of human lives because most materials are made or composed of polymers, examples are rubber shoe, automobile tyres, plastic bottles, storage tank, polypropylene products etc. and also mentioned other type of materials ie, metals, ceramic and composite (eg, reinforcement and matrix). Benefits of polymers include, lightweight, economic cost, relatively strong, design flexibility, easy to clean and sterilized, corrosion and chemical resistant. Similarly some disadvantages are low structural integrity, less resistance to wear and tear, non-biodegradability, inability to withstand high temperature etc. He expressed further that feasibility study shown that market for plastic recycling in Nigeria is estimated to about $10 billion, and that countries including the UK and EU are introducing laws that bottles must contain 30-40% recycled materials, and suggested plastic recycling as fast profit making business industry. Examples of research in polymer waste management are Building construction materials from polyethylene waste, Design process of separating and washing polyethylene and polypropylene wastes and Decomposition reuse of tyres and thermoset polymer composites. He concluded by suggesting methods of improving polymer economy as follows (i) Reduce importation of petrochemicals by reviving the existing petrochemical companies (ii) Revive support plastic recycling plants (iii) Implement and enforce the National policy on waste management (iv) Support more research on polymer waste management.
The Nigerian Society of Engineers, Lagos Branch held year 2023 Annual Public Lecture, Awards & Induction Ceremony & Annual General Meeting
Public lecture Theme: ’Railway As Fulcrum of Nigeria’s Prosperity” by Engr. Ayeni Adekunle Ojobola, MNSE as the distinguished guest lecturer and Engr Toriola Gbolahan FNSE was the keynote speaker, on Tuesday 26th September, 2023
The lecturer Engr Ojobola MNSE started with brief history of railway in Nigeria, that it is game changer in economic and social development of societies and nations and identified as veritable tool in the hands of colonialist in achieving the export based economy. Railway transportation is major by-product of industrial revolution (1740 – 1860), and that virtually all nooks and crannies of the country where agricultural produce are made were connected to transport goods by rail to the ports as raw material for exports and to manufacturing industries as finished product. Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) in about 175 years (1898-2023) of existence has built about, 3505 km of narrow gauge (NG) rail lines, 186 km network of standard gauge (SG) linkis connecting Abuja and Rigasa in Kaduna, 312 km network of standard gauge (SG) rail lines from Itakpe to Warri, 162 km double SG, Lagos to Ibadan rail line with extension to Apapa Sea port, and other standard gauge rail projects proposed or under construction. He expressed further that in 2002 the FGN on realizing the enormous potentials and benefits of an efficient and functional railway system approved the 25 year strategic vision for the Nigeria Railway system that will end in 2007. The period was divided into three phases, Phase one (2002-2007) involved rehabilitation of existing assets and the period is known as System Transition. Phase two (2007-2015), entails construction of new standard gauge lines and initiation of Public Private Partnership and referred as System Modernization. Phase three (2016-2027), System Stabilization stage is the concluding phase and involves project completion, concessions, PPP, operations and maintenance of railway services. Similarly, Lagos state in her usual pacesetting role initiated the Lagos Metroline Network in 1983 and in 2003 established Lamata and in 2008 the rail component was developed with the focus on rail lines described as blue line (Marina to Mile 2) and Red line (Marina to Agbado). He concluded by enumerating the significance of railway development as fulcrum of Nigeria nation’s prosperity including contribution of other critical economic activities such as coal and tin mining, electricity, sea/river ports and postal services. Also the investment in railways can stimulate infrastructure developments along rail corridors involving construction of roads, warehouses and other supporting facilities that can further encourage economic development.
2023 National Engineering Conference of the Nigerian Society of Engineers
NSE National Engineering Conference, Exhibition and Annual General meeting Abuja 2023 with theme “Re-engineering the Manufacturing Sector for Competitiveness and Enhanced Economic Growth is scheduled between 27th November and 1st December 2023 at International Conference Center, Abuja. This year conference will feature the usual NSE conference activities, including industrial excursion to important engineering infrastructure projects in Abuja FCT, Technical sessions and Annual General Meeting (AGM) etc