Shettima Hails Engineers as Key Drivers of Nigeria’s Development

Shettima Hails Engineers as Key Drivers of Nigeria’s Development

By Kabir Akintayo

Vice President Kashim Shettima has emphasized the critical role of mechanical engineers in shaping Nigeria’s development, calling them indispensable to the nation’s progress.

Speaking at the 16th Annual Distinguished Lecture of the Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers (NIMechE) in Abuja, Shettima highlighted the indispensable role engineers play in national stability and progress.

“We live in a mechanical world where every system is driven by interaction, balance, and response,” the Vice President said. “Just as the laws of motion govern machinery, they shape the fortunes of nations.”

He urged engineers to bridge the gap between planning and execution, noting that Nigeria’s developmental challenges stem not from lack of knowledge, but poor application of engineering principles.

“Our national challenges do not stem from a lack of knowledge but from our difficulty in applying these principles with discipline and clarity,” Shettima noted. “In engineering, as in budgeting, you cannot alter one variable without recalibrating the others. If you do, you lose harmony.”

Delivering the keynote lecture, Senator Iyiola Omisore stressed that engineering remains the cornerstone of every thriving society. He criticized the lack of synergy between regulatory bodies like COREN and funding agencies such as the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), warning that disunity could derail engineering advancement in Nigeria.

“It is an aberration that ITF, being a fund, is trying to compete with COREN. This is an anomaly, and the resultant effect is that in another five to ten years, there would be consequences,” Omisore cautioned.

The former All Progressive Congress (APC) National Secretary emphasized the international strides Nigerian engineers have made, noting that with COREN’s signing of the Washington Accord, Nigerian engineers can now practice globally without conversion exams.

“Anywhere we are, we are engineers — whether in Nigeria, in Washington, in Sydney or in Germany,” he said. “This is a temporary achievement. We need cooperation from the government to ensure proper things are done and curricula are strictly followed.”

Omisore also pointed to Nigeria’s underdeveloped infrastructure and environmental degradation as key challenges engineers must tackle. He urged them to take advantage of the proposed 2025 budget, which aims to diversify revenue from oil to non-oil sectors.

“The mechanical engineer can emplace strategies in transforming the available resources into economic products,” he added.

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, emphasized the vital role of biomedical engineers in the healthcare system. He revealed that the Federal Government is investing heavily in training and infrastructure to support the field.

“Between 2024 and 2025, a lot of funding has been made available to improve our biomedical engineering schools, train more biomedical engineers, and ensure we are able to maintain sophisticated machines domestically,” Salako said.

The event, attended by dignitaries including Chief Bisi Akande, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas (represented), and former Ondo State Governor Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, also saw awards presented to Chief Bisi Akande and Senator Omisore for their contributions to national development.