Schneider Electric Advocates Engineering Capacity to Strengthen Industrial Operations

Fadekemi Ajakaiye

As West Africa accelerates industrialisation and expands its manufacturing ambitions, industry leaders are increasingly highlighting the need for stronger engineering capacity to support efficient, reliable and sustainable industrial operations across the region.

According to industry experts, the success of industrial growth efforts will depend not only on infrastructure investment and policy reforms, but also on the availability of skilled engineers capable of managing modern industrial systems that are becoming more connected, data-driven and energy intensive.

Electric motor systems alone account for approximately 53 per cent of global electricity consumption and nearly 72 per cent of electricity use within industrial environments, according to the International Energy Agency’s Electric Motor Systems Platform. These systems power critical industrial processes including pumps, compressors, conveyors, ventilation systems, refrigeration units and production machinery used across manufacturing facilities.

However, despite their central role in industrial productivity and operational efficiency, technical expertise around motor management and intelligent industrial systems remains uneven across many emerging markets, including parts of West Africa.

Against this backdrop, Schneider Electric West Africa has intensified efforts aimed at strengthening engineering capability development through specialised technical training programmes focused on industrial automation, motor protection and energy efficiency.

One of such initiatives was the company’s recent training programme themed Schneider Learning Series: MoMARATHON – Level up your motor protection knowledge, which brought together engineers and technical professionals for advanced learning on configuring, monitoring, protecting and optimising industrial motor systems used in factories, commercial buildings and industrial facilities.
The programme introduced participants to modern approaches in motor management, including intelligent control systems, digital monitoring technologies, real-time diagnostics, fault prevention systems and industrial integration tools increasingly deployed in modern manufacturing environments.
Industry stakeholders say the growing complexity of industrial systems means that engineering capability is becoming as important as physical infrastructure in determining industrial competitiveness.
Ajibola Akindele, Country President of Schneider Electric West Africa, said developing local engineering expertise would play a critical role in building resilient industries capable of competing in an increasingly technology-driven global economy.

“Industrial systems are becoming more connected, more data driven, and more efficiency focused,” Akindele said. “Developing local engineering capability is critical if West Africa wants to build industries that are competitive, resilient, and prepared for the future.”

He noted that the effectiveness of industrial operations is often determined at the equipment level where efficiency, reliability and maintenance practices directly affect productivity and operating costs.
Analysts say even small inefficiencies in industrial motor systems can result in significant energy losses, avoidable downtime and higher maintenance expenses over time, particularly for manufacturers already facing high energy costs and infrastructure constraints.

The emphasis on technical training also reflects wider concerns about the region’s readiness for the next phase of industrial growth, as industries increasingly adopt automation, digital technologies and intelligent operational systems.

Nigeria’s National Industrial Policy aims to increase manufacturing’s contribution to Gross Domestic Product to between 20 per cent and 25 per cent by 2030. However, manufacturing currently contributes less than 10 per cent to GDP, highlighting the scale of industrial expansion still required.
Experts say achieving such targets will require not only capital investment and infrastructure upgrades, but also sustained investment in technical education, engineering development and workforce capability building.

Participants at the Schneider Electric programme were trained on motor protection principles, predictive maintenance systems, system configuration and digital performance monitoring technologies designed to improve operational reliability and energy efficiency.

The value of such technical knowledge lies in its practical application within industrial environments where better-managed motor systems can improve efficiency, extend equipment lifespan and reduce costly operational disruptions.

The growing focus on industrial efficiency is also occurring amid rising global electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence expansion, industrial digitisation, electrification and increasing data centre infrastructure worldwide.

As energy consumption rises globally, industries are expected to face increasing pressure to optimise energy use and improve operational performance, making technical capability development an increasingly strategic priority.

For Schneider Electric West Africa, initiatives focused on engineering development form part of broader efforts to support industrial transformation through both technology deployment and technical skills development.