PROFILE: Theologian, engineer, ‘saviour’ of Nigerian students in US… meet Momoh, Buhari’s NERC nominee

On Thursday, President Muhammadu Buhari nominated John Momoh, a professor of electrical engineering and computer science at the Howard University, US, for the chairmanship position of  the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

Established by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005, NERC is an independent regulatory body with authority for the regulation of the electric power industry in the country.

Momoh is the replacement for Akintunde Akinwade, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US. Akinwande had indicated no interest in the job.

THEOLOGIAN AND ENGINEER

Born on November 26, 1950, Momoh bagged a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering (EE) from Howard University in 1975. One year later, he obtained a master’s degree in the same course at Carnegie Mellon University, still in the US.

In 1980, he obtained a master’s of Systems Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. Three years after, he had his PhD in EE from Howard University.

He ventured into theology in 1991, obtaining an MA (theology) from the Howard University School of Divinity.

Momoh served as chair of the Howard electrical engineering department for over 11 years. A fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Momoh worked as a technology transfer agent to Nigeria utilities and industries, including the then National Electrical Power Authority (NEPA).

He actively promoted fundamental understanding, assessing the options and practices available for deregulation and privatisation of power.

PROFESSORIAL ACTIVITIES

His research has led to over 225 technical papers in refereed journals, transactions, proceedings and also production of several textbooks in the electrical engineering field.

He is also engaged in the development of specialised computational applications of classical optimisation, intelligent systems and advanced optimisation techniques for the new tools needed by terrestrial, naval and space power systems.

According to the Center for Energy Systems and Control (CESaC), Momoh is currently developing interdisciplinary research and education programs in power, economics and environmental adaptive systems.

“In particular, he has been developing special topical contributions in the area of Dynamic Stochastic Optimal Power Flow (DSOPF) using Adaptive Dynamic Programming (ADP) methods. His activities also extend to the development of Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) for coordination and control of complex power systems,” information on the CESaC website read.

“His work continues to impact the research and innovations needed in optimisation for planning and operational security, efficiency, reliability and stability, and autonomous control of sustainable energy systems.”

He also founded the Energy Expert Systems Institute (EESI), a high school summer programme that assisted over 30 Nigerian high school students to Howard University within 10 years.

He has graduated over a dozen engineers and helped build bridges for collaboration through research and education between Nigeria and Africa countries as well as the US.

An outstanding leader, who has made a markin the engineering profession, Momoh has won several academic and research awards.

Not much is known about the private life of this great Nigerian who hails from Edo state.