The federal government has challenged young Nigerian engineers to develop innovative, home-grown solutions to the country’s energy, infrastructure, security and digital challenges, saying the country’s future depends on indigenous technology and globally competitive engineering expertise.
The charge was given at the maiden Young Engineers Innovation Summit (YEIS) 2026 organised by the Young Engineers Forum of Nigeria (YEFON) under the auspices of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) in Abuja.
Representing the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, the national coordinator and chief executive of the Strategy Implementation Task Office for Presidential Executive, order number 5, Ibiam Oguejiofo, said young engineers must take advantage of the federal government’s Nigeria First Policy to create technologies capable of solving local problems while competing globally.
He said engineering remained the backbone of modern society, with sectors such as electricity, transportation, health care, banking, manufacturing and digital connectivity depending largely on engineering systems.
“You have to believe in your competence, develop your skills, build Nigerian solutions, create Nigerian technologies and compete globally,’ Oguejiofo said. He noted Nigerian manufacturers spent over N1 trillion annually generating their own electricity because of inadequate public power supply, describing the situation as an opportunity for local engineers to design smart electricity grids, manufacture transformers, deploy renewable energy systems, develop battery storage technologies and commercialise indigenous innovations.
Earlier, the national coordinator of YEFON, Ahmed Yusuf, said the summit was designed to provide a platform for young engineers to interact with policymakers, industry leaders and innovators, while developing practical solutions to Nigeria’s development challenges.
He said the forum had continued to promote innovation through mentorship programmes, technical workshops, innovation competitions and strategic partnerships aimed at producing globally competitive engineers.
He said that beyond technical discussions, the forum was designed to inspire innovation, strengthen mentorship, encourage entrepreneurship and equip young professionals with the skills required to thrive in a rapidly evolving engineering landscape.
Yusuf said YEFON had continued to expand opportunities for young engineers through innovation competitions, mentorship programmes, technical workshops, educational outreach and strategic partnerships aimed at producing globally competitive professionals capable of driving national development.
According to him, the maiden summit reflects the forum’s commitment to nurturing a generation of engineers who will not only excel professionally but also provide practical solutions to Nigeria’s energy, infrastructure and technology needs.
He urged participants to take full advantage of the summit by engaging actively in the technical sessions, panel discussions and networking opportunities, expressing confidence that the knowledge shared would inspire innovative ideas capable of transforming communities and contributing to national development.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Managing Director of Galaxy Backbone Limited, Prof Ibrahim Adeyanju, the company’s technical assistant, Dr Kazim Suleiman, urged young engineers to move beyond maintaining existing systems to designing and deploying technologies tailored to Nigeria’s unique environment.
“Our responsibility is no longer just maintaining legacy systems but inventing, scaling and deploying local technology-driven solutions built specifically for our environment,” he said.
The president of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Ali Rabiu Alimasuya, described the summit as an investment in the future of the engineering profession, saying the Society remains committed to mentoring and building the capacity of young engineers.
During a panel session, experts identified ageing infrastructure, pipeline vandalism, inadequate gas transportation facilities, poor maintenance culture and weak commercialisation of engineering research as major impediments to Nigeria’s energy security.
They called for stronger collaboration among government, industry, the academia and professional bodies to support innovation and equip young engineers with the skills and resources needed to drive industrialisation, strengthen energy security and accelerate the country’s digital transformation.
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