Industrialization: Governor Sule tasks young engineers to acquire skills for employment

By David Odama

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa state has tasked young engineers from Nasarawa State to acquire necessary skills in order to be gainfully employed even as his administration is vigorously pursuing industrialization driven agenda.

Governor Sule made the call during the 2025 World Engineering Day, held at the COREN State Office, Lafia.

While decrying the inability of indigenous young engineers from the state to gain employment especially with emerging industries across the state, the Governor emphasized the need for engineers to acquire practical engineering skills to make them employable by big companies that are establishing their businesses in Nasarawa State.

“We have seen some of the companies come in and showing great amount of interest in investing in Nasarawa State. But I am not happy to tell you that when I visited some of these same companies that have already started establishing, we do not have our own local engineers working there. Instead, we find engineers from other places that are working there.

“I do not want us to take this engineering work just by the title of engineer. Let us be practicing engineers because big companies are not going to go recruit according to your local government or your tribe. They are not interested in your background or height or whether you are beautiful or not. They are not interested in all those things. What they are interested in is the knowledge, know-how, capacity, and competence that you are going to bring on the table. That is what we have to work hard to make sure we meet these expectations,” he stated.

He pointed out that the dearth of skilled engineers in the state may not be unconnected with the absence of a training facility, particularly that it took over 15 years for the Isa Mustapha Agwai I Polytechnic (IMAP) to be able to run engineering courses, after his administration secured accreditation for engineering courses.

Governor Sule identified engineers as having a key role to play in harnessing the enormous potentials of the state towards sustainable development.

“Nasarawa State is a state of great potential. The potentials that exist in this Nasarawa State are enormous. As somebody who comes from the engineering background, and someone who started working as technician before I rose to working as an engineer, and someone again whose background is mostly business oriented, running organizations, running companies that have concentrated on creating wealth, I saw this wealth in Nasarawa State and I believe that engineers would contribute heavily to the creation of that wealth for the sustainable development of Nasarawa State. I challenge you, especially our young engineers, that this is an opportunity,” he said.

He noted that most, if not all, the big mining companies operating in Nasarawa State, like the largest lithium mining and processing factory being established in Endo, Nasarawa Local Government Area, would only recruit engineers with practical skills and not just university degrees.

The Governor urged young engineers who may not have the necessary practical skills to take advantage of the Wing Commander Abdullahi Ibrahim Vocational and Technology Institute in order to acquire the necessary skills.

“Most of these big companies won’t employ you because you know theories, they are only interested in people who can do the practice, who can run the machines, who understand not just the engineering aspect of the machines but the practical nature of these machines. This is my message to especially our young engineers who are coming up. It is not too late. If you do not have that practical know-how, please go to the Wing Commander Abdullahi Ibrahim Vocational and Technology Institute and acquire that skill to add to your engineering degree,” he said.

He commended the NSE Chairman in Nasarawa State, Hon. Simon Obagu, NSE National President, Engr. Margaret Aina Oguntala, for celebrating World Engineering Day, as well as Engr. Fersan Daou, for delivering the keynote address titled “Shaping a Sustainable Future Through Engineering,” that is beneficial to engineers and Nasarawa State.

In an opening remarks, NSE National President, Engr. Margaret Aina Oguntala said the World Engineering Day was initiated by the World Federation of Engineering Organizations ( WFEO) in 2019 in order to recognize the contributions of engineers and members of the engineering family.

In a welcome address earlier, Chairman, NSE Lafia branch, Hon. Simon Obagu called on engineers in the state to recommit themselves to the ideals of the profession and to strive to be the catalyst for positive change in their various communities.

Obagu commended Governor Sule for his consistent support to the NSE in the state, but requested that members’ contributions to the development of the state be recognized and valued.

He announced that the high point of the 2025 World Engineering Day would be the recognition and presentation of awards to exceptional engineering students from across tertiary institutions offering engineering courses in the state.

In a vote of thanks, Engr. Dalhatu Ahmed, NSE Lafia branch Vice Chairman, appreciated the exemplary leadership and commitment of Governor Sule to develop Nasarawa State.

Ahmed further appreciated members of the NSE Lafia branch for their hard work and dedication to the profession, pledging that members would continuously uphold the highest standard of engineering practice while also mentoring the next generation of engineers.