By Folashade Olorunfemi
The Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Engr. Johnson Alabi, has commended the Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, for key innovations within the energy sector, citing the O’Datiwa Metering Programme, as a focal point.
Engr. Alabi made this commendation while delivering his lecture as Guest Speaker at the 21st International Conference and Exhibition on Power and Telecommunications (ICEPT 2025), organized by the Nigerian Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (NIEEE), held in Osogbo, Osun State. Noting that the O’Datiwa Metering Programme has facilitated the installation of over 15,000 electricity meters within eleven months, ensuring fairness and transparency in electricity billing.
Speaking on the conference theme, “Digital Infrastructure and Innovation for Inclusive Economic Growth,” the Commissioner described it as both timely and strategic, noting that it directly addresses the urgent need to modernize infrastructure, embrace emerging technologies, and ensure economic growth that is both accelerated and inclusive.
He further highlighted other landmark achievements the governor has made such as: The transfer of regulatory oversight from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to the Ondo State Electricity Regulatory Bureau (OSERB), enabling locally tailored electricity policy.
Dr. Alabi also mentioned the commissioning of the 132/33KV Ode-Erinje transmission substation, now delivering reliable electricity to over 2,000 communities across five local government areas and beyond, noting that these projects are not just infrastructure, they are instruments of empowerment, economic revitalization, and social inclusion.
He added that Ondo state government is harnessing the full potential of digital infrastructure and innovation to drive inclusive and sustainable economic growth across the state, adding “ICEPT has consistently provided a platform for intellectual exchange, professional collaboration, and policy dialogue”.
While giving his remarks, the Governor of Osun State, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, represented by the Commissioner for Water Resources, Sunday Oroniyi, described the conference theme as one designed to provoke thought and inspire innovation in a rapidly evolving world of power and telecommunications.
The Chairman of the Opening Ceremony, DG/CEO of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Abdullahi, represented by the Kano Zonal Coordinator of NITDA, Alhaji Mohammed Saliu, lauded NIEEE for its long commitment to advancing the frontiers of technology, observing that the conference theme aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s national agenda which prioritizes technology, innovation, and digital inclusion as the foundation for Nigeria’s economic diversification and prosperity.
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