Danbatta becomes 14th NAE President, pushes engineering-led growth

Former Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, has been inaugurated as the 14th President of the Nigerian Acad-emy of Engineering (NAE), with a pledge to position engineering as a catalyst for Nige-ria’s economic growth, industrialisation and technological advancement.

Speaking after his investiture in Lagos, Danbatta unveiled a four-point agenda focused on policy engagement, academia-industry collaboration, mentorship and strategic partnerships, saying the priorities align with the Academy’s 2024–2028 Strategic Plan.

He said the Academy would deepen engagement with the executive and legislative arms of government to ensure public policies are driven by engineering research, innovation and evidence-based data.

Danbatta also pledged to champion home-grown technological solutions to address critical challenges in power supply, broadband expansion, climate change and envi-ronmental sustainability, noting that engineering must play a central role in driving na-tional productivity and competitiveness.

A major priority of his administration, he said, would be strengthening collaboration be-tween academia and industry to bridge the skills gap and equip graduates with practi-cal, entrepreneurial and industry-relevant competencies needed to support industrial growth.

The new NAE president also promised to invest in mentorship and capacity develop-ment for young engineers through workshops, conferences, research grants and profes-sional development programmes.

To strengthen the engineering ecosystem, Danbatta said the Academy would deepen collaboration with institutions including the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the National Universities Commission (NUC), while ex-panding partnerships with engineering organisations across Africa, Europe and the Americas.

He called on engineers to move beyond advocacy by delivering practical, technology-driven solutions to Nigeria’s development challenges.

Earlier, the immediate past President of the Academy, Prof. Rahamon Bello, said the in-stitute had strengthened its role as a strategic adviser on engineering, technology and innovation policies during his tenure.

Bello said the institute had continued to promote engineering research, capacity devel-opment and stakeholder engagement aimed at addressing national development needs.

He urged members to support the new leadership in advancing the Academy’s mandate and national relevance.

Delivering the Academy’s annual lecture, Emeritus Prof. Fola Lasisi urged Nigeria to in-crease investment in engineering education, research and innovation, describing engi-neering as a key driver of economic growth and industrial development.

He said Nigeria’s future depends on innovation, competence, collaboration and locally developed technological solutions.

The ceremony also featured the induction of 12 new fellows, presentation of Lifetime Achievement Awards to 10 distinguished members and the conferment of honorary fel-lowships.

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