The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has officially opened its N600 million smart Innovation center at the organization’s national headquarters in Abuja. This momentous move is anticipated to significantly enhance the nation’s burgeoning Digital Economy. The President of the NSE, Tasiu Gidari-Wudil, who spoke at the event titled “Embracing the Digital Future: Unveiling the NSE Smart Innovation Hub,” said the move marks the realization of one of the administration’s priorities in facilitating seamless business operation and increased transparency in the profession.
In attendance at the event were engineering professionals, government officials and prominent industry players. The NSE said that the hub would provide an official business space dedicated to boosting Productivity and networking among its clients and partners, as well as integrating technologies, services, tools, and data analytics that give users the ability to conduct business with less physical interaction. He said the smart office dashboard would be equipped with a unified web interface, enabling users to register real and virtual office space, executive conferences and workshops, as well as organize virtual meetings with physical access control policies.
NEDC to support any effort to promote engineering innovation.
He mentioned some of the goals of the center, such as becoming a “smart business solution” for its members and easing the learning curve by creating an electronic library of resources available both virtually and physically. As a Technology innovation hub, it will help boost the capacity of the NSE financial members and other stakeholders in areas like research and development, mentorship, and product development. Mohammed Alkali, the Chairman of the event and the Managing Director of the North-East Development Commission (NEDC), remarked that the NEDC would support any effort to promote engineering, innovation, and technology, which he regarded as the foundation of the organization’s operation.
When completed, Alkali said the hub would have a positive effect on the country’s economic and technological development by providing a venue for research and development, innovative challenges, and ease of doing business. Moruf Oseni, Wema Bank Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer remarked that the initiative is an exemplary instance of the synergy between engineering brilliance and digital advancement. It may also potentially induce dramatic changes in the business landscape and industry in the country. He added that the NSE innovation hub would be a place where “thinkers, makers, and visionaries” could join together to help create the next wave of advancement.
Providing a secure environment for engineers.
Also, the AI/IoT Lab will be a safe space dedicated to discovering the vast possibilities of AI and the Internet of Things (IoT). It will be a key to opening up solutions for complex challenges, bringing about revolutionary changes in entire industries and our approach to interacting with the world at large. He said the center would provide a secure environment for engineers and other experts to work together in developing innovative concepts, and that it would also provide training and resources to promote the widespread adoption of digital technology in businesses and other institutions.
On his part, Group Managing Director of Sahara Group Kola Adesina also spoke, noting that modern engineers are more than just “structural and systems designers;” they are “data architects,” utilising information to power optimisation, efficiency, and decision-making. Engineers, he said, have a duty to ensure equality on the playing field when it comes to access to digital technology by people of all socioeconomic classes. The government and Private Sector should work together to bring this kind of smart innovation hub to schools all over the country.
Engineers urged to prioritize their designs and systems.
Adesina said that innovation ecosystems remain an ideal setting for new businesses, entrepreneurs, and engineers to interact and develop game-changing solutions. He outlined how the rise in connectivity has resulted in a rise in the prevalence of cyberattacks and called for engineers to make it their top priorities in their designs and systems and follow stringent Data Privacy rules to safeguard people’s privacy. In his speech, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ashiru, a Trustee of the NSE Smart Innovation Hub, emphasised the importance of the hub and assured its eventual nationwide expansion.
