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Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on Thursday underscored a pressing challenge facing Nigeria’s engineering sector declaring that over 70% of Nigerian engineering graduates lack the technical hands-on skills aligned with industry standards.
Engr. Ogbe made this known in Abuja at the official launching of a platform aimed to institutionalize an annual Nigerian Engineering Olympiad designed to discover and nurture outstanding engineering talent across tertiary institutions nationwide as conceptualized by the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), with the theme, “Inspiring Engineering Solutions,”
According to Ogbe, the theme is timely and relevant to Nigeria’s economic growth, competitiveness, and sustainable development, in that Nigeria, with a population surpassing 237 million—making it the largest nation in Africa and the sixth largest worldwide—holds significant potential for talent development and industrial leadership.
He recalled that a 2023 industry survey reveals that only about 5% of Nigerian engineering graduates are considered industry-ready at graduation, while the majority require extensive on-the-job training before they can effectively contribute.
This gap, he said is particularly acute in high-technology and emerging fields, further limiting local engineering capacity, stressing that this skills deficit leads to a shortage of competent local engineers, increased dependence on expatriate expertise, and amplifies brain drain as Nigerian engineers pursue opportunities abroad.
He called for deliberate, strategic collaboration between the government and private sector to bridge this gap.
Earlier, Engr. Margaret Oguntala, President, Nigerian Society of Engineers, declared that the Olympiad would offer not just platform for innovation but also tangible rewards in engineering, which she described as the bedrock of development.
“A nation that has advanced through engineering has done so by being intentional and strategic about it” she said.
Mr. Michael Ajayi, Country Director, Enactus Nigeria Limited, implementing partners, said they have pulled in relevant agencies from both public and private sector for provision of adequate technical support to ensure the success of the programme.
Ajayi noted that the launched marks the unveiling of a capacity-building initiatives aimed at equipping young engineers with advanced skills in petroleum engineering, digital technology, robotics, and other disciplines.
Similarly, Engr Yetunde Taiwo, GM Integrated gas development (FIRST (E&P) declared that the programme would work to foster talent development that would impact positively in the nation’s economy.
Beyond technical skills, the Olympiad also seeks to strengthen entrepreneurial, leadership, and innovation competencies among engineering graduates, preparing them to excel in the workforce or launch technology-based enterprises.
Aligned with the NCDMB’s Human Capacity Development Programme, the Nigerian Engineering Olympiad will:Promote research and development in engineering and technology;Produce employable, industry-ready engineering professionals; and Foster entrepreneurship and indigenous innovation.
