DR. FADOJU, SOLOMON OLU

A 1981 Industrial Chemistry and Chemical Technology Graduate of the University of Wales, United Kingdom, Dr. Fadoju also obtained his Ph. D in Synthetic-Analytical Organo-Phosphorous from the same University of Wales, United Kingdom in 1985. He joined the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Lagos in 1987 as a Senior Scientific Officer and rose through the ranks to attain his present status of an Acting Director of the Department of Chemical Technology and Energy Research.

Dr. Fadoju has attended several specialized Courses and Trainings notably in the areas of Analytical Verification of Chemical Weapons of the University of Helsinki, Finland. Dr. Fadoju is both a United Nations UNMOVIC trained Chemical Weapons Inspector and Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, OPCW, Inspector. He is equally an Associate Programme Graduate of the OPCW Course held in several European countries in the year 2007.

Dr. Fadoju has served as a member in several Government Committees/Working Group such as the Interministerial Committee on R & D into the Economic use of Water Hyacinth, Interministerial Committee on Local Drugs Production in Nigeria, Technical Advisory Committee on the Implementation of Chemical Weapons Convention in Nigeria, Technical Committee on Environmental Remediation Development Project in Jos.

He is currently an active member of the National Council on Chemical Weapons Convention in Nigeria till date. Dr. Fadoju holds the Fellowships of the Royal Society of Chemical, London and Society of Chemical Industry, London, U.K.

He has several notable scientific publications to his credit. Dr. Fadoju is happily married with children.

The organogram of the Department is attached overleaf: It consist of two Divisions, four Branches and four Sections.

FUNCTIONS OF CTER DEPARTMENT, DIVISIONS, BRANCHES AND SECTIONS

• VISION
  
  The vision of CTER Department is in line with that of the main Ministry (i.e. F.M.S.T), which is to promote the development and application of Science and Technology in the National Economy.
  
  
• BROAD MANDATE /MISSION
  
  To promote and coordinate Research and Development (R&D) support for enhanced use of chemical technology, improved energy generation, transmission, distribution and utilization within the country in an environment- friendly manner.
  
  Under this broad mandate/ mission, the Department carries out the following functions through two Divisions namely:
  
  i) Chemical Technology Division and
  ii) Energy Research Division

• Initiation, formulation, implementation, monitoring and review of policies and programmes for the application of chemical technology in the industrial practices of the Nation.
• Development of priorities in chemical technology research and development.
• Problem identification in industrial practices of the Nation and development of research and other strategies for their solutions especially chemical and allied  industries.

1. Coordinating the initiation, formulation, implementation, monitoring and review of the national and sectoral energy policies.
2. Coordination of activities to ensure that other sectoral energy policies derive from and are consistent with the National Energy Policies
3. Development of priorities in energy research and development including determination of programmes and projects for their implementation in the country
4. Promotion of Research and Development for providing solutions to energy related problems associated with environmental degradation, pollution and climatic changes
5. Promotion of pilot plants in respect of locally developed energy generation, devices and technologies.
   

There are two functions that cut across both the Chemical Technology Division and Energy Research Division of CTER Department. These functions are: -

• Liaising with other Departments of the Ministry (i.e. FMST) to ensure efficient and effective performance of the Ministry’s mandates.
• Liaising with other Ministries, their Agencies, the private sector and International organizations/agencies on matters concerning chemical industry and energy development.

There are four (4) branches in the Department, namely:-

1. 1. Industrial Chemicals
   2. Leather Technology
   3. Convectional Energy and
   4. Renewable/Alternative Energy.

In the above, (i) and (ii) are within Chemical Technology Division while (iii) and (iv) are in the Energy Research Division.

Traditionally, oil has and is still Nigeria’s main revenue earner and a major source of energy in terms of petroleum products, kerosene, diesel and many others. Similarly, hydropower is a major source of base load electricity generation in the country. Also there is large deposit of coal in Nigeria and it is very much under utilized.

This branch will focus on coordinating Research and Development activities geared into:

1.  
   1. Developing Nigeria’s local content within the oil and gas industry and improving the efficiency of production of oil and gas.
   2. Increasing the percentage contribution of hydro-electricity to the total national energy mix in an environment-friendly manner.
   3. Development of local briquettes as a source of energy use within Nigeria
      

ALTERNATIVE/RENEWABLE ENERGY BRANCH
Renewable energy sources of Nigeria amongst which are Solar Energy, Wind Energy, Geothermal and Tidal Energy, Small hydro resources, Bio-fuels, Biomass being developed to contribute to the nations energy mix. More importantly, they have been identified as capable of providing electricity generation to remote and rural areas of Nigeria which are far from the National grid and hence can not be economically supplied by electricity by the conventional energy sources. They are also environment-friendly.
           
Similarly, Research and Development activity in nuclear Science and Technology which is useful in the medical, agriculture, electricity generation, industry and water resources management is being developed within the branch.

The Department has four sections, namely:

1.  
   1. Process Design and Development
   2. Hides and Skin Research and Development
   3. Oil and Gas, Hydropower and Coal
   4. Renewable, Bio-fuel, Biomass and Nuclear

This section will oversee the development of local raw materials to an intermediate or finished chemical product by ensuring that the Research and Development activities reaches a pilot plant stage with the process flow diagram and design ready for onward commercialization.

Hides And Skin Research And Development

While developing Research and Development activities in Hides and Skin to be used for leather products, this section is also charged with designing suitable cost effluent treatment process/plants with a view to keeping industrial pollutants from the tannery industry within tolerable limits.

Oil And Gas, Hydropower And Coal Section

This section is charged with developing coal briquettes that can act as substitute to fuel wood and domesticate the technology

(ii) Development of Research and Development activities that is relevant to Nigeria’s Petrochemical industry (that is Olefins and Aromatics)
(iii) Coordinate the production of hydropower equipment in Nigeria
(iv) Develop manpower capacity required in this sector

Renewable, Bio-Fuel, Biomass And Nuclear Section

The section is to continue coordinating research aimed at provision of renewable energy (solar, wind, etc) to communities which have no access to electricity

ii) To set up pilot/projects as a demonstration of the Research and Development efforts on the need to use renewable energy within Nigeria

iii) To demonstrate this technology by encouraging Research and Development activities that would lead to the local production of Solar Panels, Wind Turbines, Balance of Systems (Converters, Inverters, Controllers and Chargers, etc)

CTER Department also serves as the National focal point for the following programmes:

• The economic Cooperation Among Eight Developing Countries (D-8)
• The National Technical Committee on Earthquake Phenomenon (NTCEP)
  

The D-8 Organization

The D-8 Organization is made up of eight countries namely:
Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey. The Headquarters of the organization is at Instanbul, Turkey and is headed by a Secretary-general.

Nigeria is assigned the Chairmanship of the D-8 Energy Sector and as such is saddled with the responsibility of coordinating and collaboration in the development of the energy resources of member states.

There are Eight (8) D-8 Commissioners, one for each country. The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (FMST) are the Nigeria’s D-8 Commissioner in the Nigeria’s D-8 Secretariat.