Nigeria emphasizes infrastructure standards and digital adoption

Stakeholders in Nigeria are emphasizing the necessity of rigorous standards and digital integration to bolster national infrastructure and industrial growth.

Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, Director General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), stated that standards are essential for ensuring that technologies and systems supporting national transitions are safe, reliable, and efficient. SON is actively supporting the Nigerian energy transition by developing standards for compressed natural gas (CNG), having approved 80 standards in 2024 covering areas such as CNG conversion.

Concurrently, the Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers (NIStructE) has called for the adoption of digital technologies and artificial intelligence to improve infrastructure resilience. During a recent conference, engineer Oreoluwa Fadayomi advocated for moving beyond traditional practices to embrace digital transformation in design and maintenance. He noted that while AI can optimize engineering analysis, professional accountability remains the responsibility of qualified engineers. NIStructE also emphasized the need for stricter enforcement of building regulations to prevent structural failures.