ACE-SPED Core edifice inaugurated at UNN

Inauguration of ACE-SPED at UNN Marks a Milestone in Sustainable Energy Research

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Prof. Charles Igwe, on Friday inaugurated the two-storey core building of the World Bank-funded Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Power and Energy Development (ACE-SPED).

ACE-SPED is a World Bank-assisted Higher Education Programme, supported by the French Development Agency (AFD) and domiciled at UNN. The centre aims to address the pressing challenges of energy in Nigeria and across Africa through innovative research and capacity-building initiatives.

Prof. Igwe commended Prof. Emenike Ejiogu, the Director of the Centre, for his leadership qualities and dedication to work. He noted that attracting the World Bank grant to UNN was a significant achievement.

“I am happy to inaugurate this project, it is one of the projects I am inaugurating to mark the end of my successful tenure. I commend Ejiogu for attracting the World Bank-funded Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Power and Energy Development to UNN, which is aimed at providing solutions to the problems of energy in the country in particular and Africa in general.”

ACE-SPED’s Mandate and Achievements

Speaking during the event, Prof. Ejiogu, who is also the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at UNN, highlighted that the Centre was selected by the World Bank from among 134 proposals submitted by institutions in Nigeria and other West African countries.

The Centre’s mandate is to develop indigenous technology in Nigeria and West Africa, creating a functional problem-solving hub with the capacity to conduct research in power systems and energy development, facilitate knowledge transfer, and upgrade human capital. The two-storey building includes provisions for laboratories, workshop halls, lecture theatres, and office accommodations.

Prof. Ejiogu emphasized the Centre’s contributions since its inception in 2019, including the graduation of Masters and Ph.D. students and the sponsorship of numerous students for scholarships and industrial attachments both within and outside the country.

He expressed gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor for providing land for the core building, laying the foundation stone, and presiding over the inauguration of the completed facility. As the Director, he pledged to continue fostering dedication among staff to achieve the Centre’s goals.

Notably, the research team at ACE-SPED has already produced significant innovations, such as:

Electric Insulator Ceramic made with 100% local content.
A discovery of ore derived from rice husk, paving the way for designing energy conversion systems to produce laptop and cellphone batteries.

These achievements underscore the Centre’s commitment to advancing sustainable energy solutions and promoting technological self-reliance in Nigeria and beyond.

The establishment of ACE-SPED at UNN represents a significant step toward addressing Africa’s energy challenges through cutting-edge research and collaboration. With its focus on indigenous technology and capacity building, the Centre is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of sustainable energy development on the continent.