The Nigerian Society of Engineers has called on professionals to develop home-grown smart engineering systems to address energy deficits, urban congestion, flooding, and infrastructure gaps in the country. They also warned against continued dependence on imported technologies.
In his keynote address at the 2026 World Engineering Day celebration held virtually on Wednesday, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) of Delta State University, Abraka, Prof Hilary Owamah, said Nigeria’s development challenges must be seen as engineering opportunities.
Owamah said, “Nigeria faces significant development challenges: energy deficits, urban congestion, waste management pressures, and water supply gaps. Yet these challenges present enormous engineering opportunities.”
He disclosed that Nigeria generates over 32 million tonnes of solid waste annually, much of which remains underutilised.
“Waste-to-energy technologies alone could transform environmental burdens into economic value,” Owamah noted. “We must deploy renewable energy, build smart transportation networks, digitise construction processes, and develop intelligent infrastructure suited to our local realities. We must not merely import smart systems. We must engineer Nigerian solutions.”
He defined smart engineering as the intelligent integration of engineering science, digital intelligence, data-driven systems, and sustainability principles.
The engineering don added, “Smart engineering is not merely automation. It is not simply the digitisation of processes. It is not technology for prestige. It is engineering that predicts, adapts, and optimises.”
He explained that infrastructure is evolving from static structures into intelligent systems powered by artificial intelligence, predictive modelling, and smart sensors.
Owamah said sustainability had become an engineering mandate, warning that every bridge, road, and drainage system designed today would shape future generations.
He stated, “Nigeria already faces severe environmental pressures. Millions of citizens are affected by flooding annually. Over 27 million Nigerians living in coastal areas face rising sea-level risks, while environmental degradation costs the nation billions of dollars each year. Smart engineering allows us to design flood-resilient infrastructure, optimise energy consumption, monitor water systems in real time, and predict structural failure before catastrophe. Smart engineering allows us to design for resilience, not repair.”
On digitalisation, he advised that Building Information Modelling enables system simulation before construction, Geographic Information Systems provide spatial intelligence for infrastructure planning, and predictive maintenance extends infrastructure lifespan.
Owamah said Nigeria’s digital economy already contributes over 15 per cent of national GDP, providing a strong foundation for digital engineering transformation.
He said, “We must move from ‘Build and repair’ to ‘Predict and prevent.’ The future engineer must be as comfortable with data as with concrete. The future engineer must not only solve equations. He or she must solve society.”
The President of the NSE, Ali Rabiu, affirmed that engineers must provide practical, innovative solutions tailored to Nigeria’s realities.
Rabiu said, “The theme of this year’s celebration, ‘Smart Engineering for a Sustainable Future through Innovation and Digitalisation,’ is both timely and apt. I warmly welcome this theme, and I am confident that our deliberations will generate valuable insights. I also believe that at the end of our submissions, there will be abundant benefits for our country, recommendations which the government is expected to consider and implement for national development.”
He noted that the NSE’s participation in the global event for the seventh consecutive year showed its commitment to knowledge enrichment, capacity building, and proper positioning of the profession to support the government in aligning with global development trends.
Rabiu also charged engineers to explore how their expertise could help the government address insecurity, noting that safety conditions and regulatory predictability influence foreign direct investment, job creation, and public trust.
He said, “Without urgent intervention, safety deficits will continue to undermine GDP growth, foreign direct investment, job creation, infrastructure sustainability, and public trust in governance. Engineers, as critical stakeholders in nation-building, have a vital role to play in addressing these challenges and strengthening the foundation for economic growth and stability.”
He commended the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation and the World Federation of Engineering Organisations for sustaining the global platform.
The NSE chief urged young engineers to think creatively and demonstrate readiness to advance professionalism, technical competence, and good governance, stressing that the future of Nigeria’s infrastructure would reflect the quality of its engineers.
