By Samuel precious
The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has charged Nigerian youths to look beyond academic certificates and embrace practical skills, innovation and entrepreneurship as pathways to personal advancement and national economic transformation. The call was made at the 2026 Engineering Week public lecture, where the Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Engr. Dr. Temitope John Alake, delivered a lecture on “Re-envisioning Nigeria: Leadership, Innovation and Youth-Driven Development in a Dynamic World.”
Alake said Nigeria could no longer afford to depend largely on crude oil as the global economy rapidly moved towards digital technology, knowledge and innovation. He described the transition from an oil-dependent economy to a decentralised, digital and knowledge-driven economy as an urgent economic necessity, stressing that Nigeria’s youthful population remained one of the country’s greatest assets if properly equipped.
The Rector said the Fourth Industrial Revolution, driven by artificial intelligence, financial technology, digital platforms and other emerging technologies, had created new opportunities for young Nigerians. He urged youths to surrender themselves to continuous training and acquire relevant skills that could enable them to create solutions, establish businesses and compete effectively in the global economy.
He also called on government, professional bodies and older generations to provide stronger support for young innovators through grants, start-up parks, mentorship and favourable policies. Alake acknowledged government’s efforts in youth skills acquisition but said more needed to be done to convert the country’s large youth population into productive human capital capable of driving sustainable development.
The keynote speaker, Engr. Dr. Oluwadare Joshua Oyebode of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, said Nigeria needed visionary and accountable leadership capable of thinking beyond immediate gains. He stressed that policies and recommendations would have little impact if government and other stakeholders failed to implement them effectively.
Oyebode urged government to make young people active participants in policymaking rather than treating them merely as beneficiaries of development programmes. He called for stronger collaboration among government, professional bodies, academic institutions, industries and communities, noting that collective efforts remained essential to solving the country’s development challenges.
The Chairman of NSE Engr Omotola alawode commended Alake for what he described as a comprehensive lecture that connected leadership, entrepreneurship and skills acquisition. He advised youths not to pursue certificates and quick financial gains alone, stressing that practical skills, innovation and entrepreneurship would give them a stronger advantage in the national and international marketplace.
The lecture also attracted positive reactions from participants, with a Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti student, Adeoye Michael Ayomide, saying the programme exposed him to the importance of digital skills and self-development. Comrade Adebayo Kayode also described Alake’s presentation as insightful and urged youths to remain open to learning, relearning and unlearning.
The event ended with awards presented to Alake and Oyebode for their contributions to leadership, engineering and youth development, while Arch EyiTope Gabriel Ajayi was also honoured.