Depending on Foreign Expertise, Create Space for Engineers — Zangon Kataf Chairman
By Umar Idris, Zaria
The Chairman of Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Hon. Engineer Joseph Bege Gayya, has called on the Federal Government to create a conducive environment for Nigerian engineers to practise, innovate and provide home-grown solutions to the country’s development challenges.
Gayya made the call while delivering a goodwill message at the ICESID 2026 International Conference on Engineering Innovation for Sustainable Development, held at the Yusuf Bala Usman Hall of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.
The conference, which focused on the theme, “Innovating Tomorrow: Harnessing Engineering to Drive Nigeria’s Growth for Sustainable Development,” brought together academics, engineers, researchers, students, policymakers and other stakeholders to examine how engineering can contribute to Nigeria’s economic transformation.
The chairman described engineering as a “fantastic sector” with enormous potential to transform the Nigerian economy, but lamented the difficult conditions under which many engineers and engineering institutions currently operate.
He identified inadequate funding, poorly equipped laboratories, limited research opportunities and weak support for innovation as major challenges hindering the development of engineering capacity in the country.
According to him, the poor condition of many engineering laboratories has made it difficult for students and practising engineers to acquire the practical experience required to develop technologies capable of addressing Nigeria’s peculiar challenges.
Gayya expressed concern that Nigerian engineers and students often have to travel abroad to acquire advanced knowledge and technical skills, only to return to an environment where they have limited opportunities and facilities to apply what they have learnt.
He questioned the continued reliance on foreign consultants and expatriates for major infrastructure projects despite the availability of competent Nigerian engineers.
“Today, when you look at our highways, we bring Chinese consultants, but you see Nigerians with the same technologies who are busy doing the work. So we don’t even trust ourselves.
We don’t even trust the system that is producing us,” he said.
The chairman argued that Nigeria must begin to have confidence in its own professionals by deliberately creating opportunities for them to participate in major national projects.
He said such a policy would not only strengthen local capacity but would also help address the growing problem of graduate unemployment by opening up opportunities for young engineers to contribute to the economy.
Gayya also called for increased government investment in engineering research and development, stressing that universities and research institutions should be adequately funded and equipped to produce technologies that can be deployed to solve national problems.
He expressed particular concern over Nigeria’s energy sector, describing reliable energy supply as the foundation for industrialisation, economic growth and technological advancement.
According to him, Nigeria cannot achieve sustainable development while its industries and professionals continue to operate without adequate and reliable energy infrastructure.
He therefore urged the government to strengthen indigenous capacity in the energy sector and reduce excessive dependence on foreign and private interests.
The chairman further challenged stakeholders to promote local production and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported goods.
He cited the leather industry as an area where the country has considerable potential, noting that Nigerian research institutions are already developing technologies and products that could support local industries and contribute to strategic sectors of the economy.
Gayya said the challenge before Nigeria was not necessarily a lack of talented professionals, but the failure to provide the right environment, funding, infrastructure and policy support for those professionals to thrive.
He called for a deliberate national policy that would prioritise engineering education, research, innovation, industrial development and the commercialisation of locally developed technologies.
The chairman also urged universities, research institutions, government agencies, private-sector operators and professional bodies to strengthen collaboration and ensure that research findings are translated into practical solutions.
He challenged participants at the conference, particularly young engineers and researchers, to see themselves as critical players in Nigeria’s future rather than merely job seekers.
Gayya said the decisions being taken today would determine whether Nigeria becomes a productive and technologically self-reliant nation or continues to depend heavily on imported expertise and products.
He therefore urged policymakers and other stakeholders to work collectively towards building an environment where Nigerian engineers can innovate, create jobs, develop indigenous technologies and play a central role in the country’s sustainable development.
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