Experts Advocate New Strategies to Tackle Skills Gap Among Engineers
Experts have called for a comprehensive redesign of Nigeria's engineering education system to better equip graduates with skills that align with the demands of modern technology and national development. They emphasized the urgent need for universities and training institutions to integrate emerging technologies into engineering curricula while adopting innovative teaching and assessment approaches that enhance problem-solving and innovation capabilities.
Modernizing Engineering Training
Dr. Chinedu Ezenkwu, a lecturer at the School of Computing, Engineering and Technology (SOCET) at Robert Gordon University in the United Kingdom, stated that engineering training must evolve beyond traditional methods to remain relevant in a rapidly changing technological landscape. Speaking at the World Engineering Day event organized by the Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers (NIMechE), themed "Smart engineering for a sustainable future through innovation and digitalisation," Ezenkwu highlighted the necessity of rethinking assessment processes for young engineers.
He recommended modern learning approaches such as flipped classrooms, which foster interactive learning and improve analytical skills. According to him, engineering schools should shift focus from conventional memorization-based learning to developing metacognitive abilities, including:
- Critical thinking
- Communication
- Collaboration
- Leadership
- Creativity
- Self-awareness
- Lifelong learning
Ezenkwu also stressed the importance of integrating artificial intelligence and digital literacy into Nigeria's education system, noting that the ongoing industrial revolution has transformed sectors like engineering, where smart engineering is becoming central to developing smart cities, healthcare systems, and agricultural solutions.
Smart Engineering and Sustainability
Ezenkwu explained that smart engineering thrives on the interaction between people, processes, and technology to produce data-driven strategies that enhance planning and decision-making. "Data provides foresight, insight, and hindsight. It enables engineers to predict challenges, optimize systems, and design solutions that improve efficiency and sustainability," he said. However, he cautioned that smart engineering cannot flourish in isolation; it requires supportive government policies, infrastructure investment, regulatory reforms, and stronger public-private collaboration.
He added that sustainability must be viewed broadly, encompassing environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and called for continuous professional development for engineers, deeper university-industry collaboration, and greater investment in research and development to strengthen Nigeria's engineering capacity.
Bridging Capacity Gaps
Former National Chairman of NIMechE, Funmi Akingbagbohun, echoed these sentiments, advocating for efforts to bridge capacity gaps in the engineering industry through skills development and digital training. She noted that the global shift towards sustainability is increasingly driven by digitalisation, which is transforming engineering practices worldwide.
"Engineering is no longer just about machines and structures. It is about intelligent systems, automation, data-driven decisions, and sustainable solutions," she said. Akingbagbohun explained that smart engineering integrates technologies such as:
- Artificial intelligence
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- Robotics
- Digital twins
- Data analytics
- Renewable energy systems
These tools enable engineers to optimize energy use, reduce waste and emissions, improve system efficiency, enhance predictive maintenance, and build more resilient infrastructure. She urged mechanical engineers to move beyond conventional practices and embrace digital transformation in their profession.
Addressing Local Challenges
Akingbagbohun highlighted Nigeria's engineering challenges, including energy inefficiency, ageing infrastructure, industrial capacity gaps, and environmental pressures. However, she viewed these as opportunities for innovation, suggesting that smart engineering could improve electricity generation and distribution, digitize manufacturing processes, strengthen local production capacity, and support climate-resilient technologies.
She stressed the importance of localizing innovation by developing solutions tailored to Nigeria's socio-economic realities rather than merely adopting foreign models. "If we are to achieve sustainability through digitalisation, our engineers must be trained not only in thermodynamics and mechanics but also in coding, data science, systems integration, and cybersecurity," she said. She added that smart engineering should promote job creation, support local manufacturing, encourage ethical technology deployment, and ensure inclusiveness in technological advancement.
Ensuring Inclusive Development
Another speaker, Mohammed Umaru, emphasized the need for developing countries to prioritize access to affordable and sustainable energy, agricultural development, and education to maximize the benefits of smart engineering. Earlier, the National Chairman of NIMechE, Alhassan Mohammed, warned that while digitalisation offers enormous opportunities, it must not deepen inequality. He urged engineers to ensure that innovation and technological advancement are used as tools for national development.
"Let us innovate with purpose, digitise responsibly, design sustainably, and lead boldly," he concluded, underscoring the collective responsibility to harness technology for equitable progress.
