Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced the establishment of the National Engineering and Innovation Fund.
He made this announcement at the Annual General Meeting and International Engineering Conference of the Nigerian Society of Engineers holding in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
According to President Tinubu, this new initiative is to provide grants and resources to engineers and technologists working on solutions for Nigeria’s unique challenges.
“With this fund, we aim to support local innovations, encourage entrepreneurship, and ensure that Nigeria remains at the forefront of engineering advancement in Africa. Strengthening regulations and standards.
“A commitment to quality and safety is at the heart of responsible engineering. Our administration recognizes the importance of upholding and enforcing stringent standards across all engineering projects. We will work closely with the Nigerian Society of Engineers and other regulatory bodies to ensure that only licensed, qualified professionals are entrusted with critical national projects.”
The President who was represented by the Minister of State for Works, Mr. Bello Muhammad Goronyo noted that engineers are problem solvers and innovators therefore his administration is focused on creating opportunities for professional development and innovation within the engineering sector.
The Keynote Speaker at the event, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari tasked the Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE to come up with sustainable engineering solutions that would promote climate smart agriculture to grow crops under all weather conditions.
Speaking on the theme of the conference ‘‘Sustainable Engineering Solutions to Food Security and Climate Change”, Mr. Kyari noted that among the myriad challenges affecting food security in the nation, one major factor was climate change.
The Minister presented a road map which he hoped would guide discussions at the conference.
“Engineers must work on affordable, adaptable machinery suited to Nigerian crops and terrains, encouraging mechanized farming to increase efficiency and productivity. Engineers should design sustainable storage facilities and processing technologies to minimize post-harvest losses, especially those that can be deployed in rural communities.
“From rural roads to bridges and storage, engineers can design infrastructure that withstands extreme weather and supports farmers in all regions of Nigeria.
“Affordable solar, biogas, and other renewable energy systems can revolutionize agriculture in off-grid areas by providing reliable power for irrigation, processing, and storage.
“Engineers are expected to develop sustainable irrigation systems, including rainwater harvesting and efficient irrigation technology, to ensure water availability for farming all year round.
“Engineers can develop soil monitoring and management tools that help farmers maintain soil health, ensuring long-term productivity and environmental balance. Data analytics, GIS, and IoT-enabled systems can support precision agriculture, allowing for better monitoring of weather patterns, soil health, and water availability for optimal farming decisions.” he said.
The Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum stressed the need for engineering solutions in addressing irrigation challenges.
“I am calling on the Nigerian society of engineers and members of the engineering family to invest in research in the areas of irrigation, in the areas of food cultivation, in the areas of water harvesting, mechanization, environmental degradation, among others, in order to boost food production.
“Furthermore, I’m also calling on the Nigerian society of engineers, as well as the entire engineering family, to invest in the areas of utilization of alternative energy sources, especially geothermal, solar power, biomass energy, with the view to reducing or slowing emission of greenhouse gases in Nigeria. This is very important.” Governor Zulum said.
The President of the NSE, Mrs Margaret Oguntala explained that the conference theme reflects the pressing challenges of the present times.
She therefore called on all engineers to rise and provide solutions to food insecurity exacerbated by climate change.
“The twin challenges of food security and climate change are not just theoretical—they are issues that define the survival and progress of our nation today. This conference must serve as a clarion call for engineers to rise as problem solvers and innovators.”
PIAK
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