Dr. Olarinre Salako
Research and technical leadership in energy, automotive systems, data and AI—alongside writing on Nigerian institutions, infrastructure and government.
Connected mobility · DecarbonizationSelected record
4-D seismic, reservoir simulation and methods for tracking injected carbon dioxide.
PatentsVehicle energy and emissionsInventions covering driver behaviour, powertrain information and vehicle carbon footprints.
Forthcoming bookThe Unfinished Nigerian ProjectEssays on state capacity, institutional design and Nigeria’s search for nationhood.
The common thread
The engineering work asks how physical and digital systems behave. The public writing asks why institutions so often fail to deliver the outcomes they promise.
Choose a field.
Featured Thought
Systems & Society
WHEN the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced on May 22, 2025, that it had established an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Division to introduce the technology into its electoral activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, I received the news with unease. Not because I opposed the technology. As a technology leader who has developed and […]
Read the essaySystems & Society
Essays on electricity, federalism, public institutions, democracy and the practical work of governing Nigeria.
Nigeria's water crisis mirrors its electricity crisis. But a nation cannot build prosperity by requiring every family to become its own water utility and electricity provider. Individual ingenuity cannot substitute for public institutions. We must rediscover the value of collective provision. Water and electricity should not depend on a household's ability to finance its own infrastructure. Government must provide reliable services, while citizens share responsibility for sustaining them. A borehole may solve a family's water problem, and solar panels its electricity problem. Neither, by itself, builds a functioning society. As a six-year-old boy returning from school, I knew nothing about reservoirs, treatment chemistry or public budgets. I only knew that I could reach the tap in front of our compound, cup my palms and drink clean water. That simple privilege was made possible by collective infrastructure.
MY return to Scotland marked the beginning of my contributions to Nigeria’s fuel-subsidy debate over the past three weeks.
On October 8, 2026, Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele announced a 30-day petrol discount at NNPC stations, prioritising public transport. He proposed a ₦1,350-per-litre ex-gantry or landing-cost ceiling, with suppliers temporarily absorbing excess costs for later recovery.
Ideas
Short definitions of the concepts used repeatedly across the essays and research.
The infrastructure, markets and institutions involved in producing, moving and using energy.
How authority and responsibility are divided between federal, state and local government.
How constitutions, laws and administrative structures distribute authority and create incentives.
How a diverse federation builds common citizenship and political belonging.
The ability of public institutions to make policy, deliver services and enforce rules.
Research
Publications and projects in reservoir monitoring, carbon storage, transport electrification, connected vehicles, data science and AI.
Research Publication
Design of an automated seismic array for tracking the extent of injected CO₂.
Publication detailsResearch Publication
Using repeated seismic surveys to improve geological interpretation, reservoir simulation and production decisions during CO₂ injection.
Publication detailsResearch Publication
Analysis of how relative-permeability hysteresis and gas solubility affect CO₂ storage performance.
Publication details
Featured Book
Essays on State Capacity, Institutional Design, and Nigeria’s Search for Nationhood. A systems-oriented examination of constitutionalism, governance, infrastructure and national development.
Discover the bookMedia & Speaking
MEDIA↗Media Item
Interview on Nigerian economic reform, energy policy and governance.
MEDIA↗Media Item
Documentary segment on connected-vehicle data and research into transportation decarbonisation.
Media Item
Dr. Salako discusses electricity, agro-industrial growth, climate resilience and the role of technology in Africa’s energy future.
About
Salako has worked in university research, government-funded energy programmes, automotive technology and independent advisory roles. His technical work covers subsurface monitoring, carbon management, electrification, connected vehicles, data and AI.
Latest Writing
WHEN the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced on May 22, 2025, that it had established an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Division to introduce the technology into its electoral activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, I received the news with unease. Not because I opposed the technology. As a technology leader who has developed and […]
Nigeria's water crisis mirrors its electricity crisis. But a nation cannot build prosperity by requiring every family to become its own water utility and electricity provider. Individual ingenuity cannot substitute for public institutions. We must rediscover the value of collective provision. Water and electricity should not depend on a household's ability to finance its own infrastructure. Government must provide reliable services, while citizens share responsibility for sustaining them. A borehole may solve a family's water problem, and solar panels its electricity problem. Neither, by itself, builds a functioning society. As a six-year-old boy returning from school, I knew nothing about reservoirs, treatment chemistry or public budgets. I only knew that I could reach the tap in front of our compound, cup my palms and drink clean water. That simple privilege was made possible by collective infrastructure.
MY return to Scotland marked the beginning of my contributions to Nigeria’s fuel-subsidy debate over the past three weeks.
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