The Nigerian Association of Technologists in Engineering (NATE) has warned that the growing shortage of engineering skills in Nigeria is slowing down the country’s industrial and technological development.The President of the association, Mr Dominic Udoatan, made this known during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.
According to him, many technical colleges and polytechnics across the country are facing serious challenges that affect quality training for future engineers and technologists.He explained that several institutions still rely on outdated equipment and poorly equipped laboratories and workshops. He also noted that irregular electricity supply, lack of practical materials and shortage of experienced instructors continue to weaken technical education in Nigeria.Udoatan said the absence of important engineering trades from mainstream training programmes has worsened the problem.
According to him, courses such as foundry technology, machine tools practice and biomedical engineering are no longer receiving enough attention despite their importance to industrial growth.
“These are strategic skills that form the backbone of manufacturing, production engineering and industrial development. Their absence continues to create significant gaps in the country’s technical manpower needs,” he said.
The NATE president stated that although the government has introduced several education reforms over the years, the expected progress in technical and vocational training has not been fully achieved.To help reduce the skills gap, he said NATE has started several training and capacity building programmes aimed at giving technologists practical industry skills. The association is also working on professional standards and training systems for specialised technical fields with limited representation.
According to him, NATE is encouraging regular retraining for engineers, technologists and instructors through industrial attachments. He recommended that such training should take place every five years so professionals can stay updated with modern technology and engineering practices. Udoatan identified Nigerian Machine Tools Ltd. in Osogbo, Osun State, as one of the country’s valuable but underused technical training centres. He said the facility has the ability to produce machine tools, Computer Numerical Control equipment and mechatronics systems.
He called on government agencies and schools to make better use of such facilities in training students and engineering professionals.The association has also directed its branches across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to establish cottage industries focused on producing locally made machines and equipment using local materials. According to Udoatan, the initiative is expected to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and local manufacturing.
He added that NATE has partnered with institutions such as Bayero University Kano and Yaba College of Technology to organise specialised training programmes in equipment handling, laboratory management and safety practices. The association is also planning to establish training centres and foundry facilities for producing engineering components, machine tools and automotive parts locally.Udoatan explained that these efforts are aimed at reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported technologies while supporting the country’s industrial growth ambitions.
He further revealed that NATE members have already developed several local engineering solutions, including an egg incubator machine, a patented rice de stoning machine, a coconut de shelling machine and a castor oil seed de husking machine. According to him, the projects are designed to expose technologists to practical engineering experience while helping solve challenges in Nigeria’s agricultural and industrial sectors.
“We are not only training technologists but also encouraging them to develop solutions that can support local industries and reduce dependence on imported equipment,” he said.
He added that the association plans to expand its biomedical engineering programmes, especially in the maintenance and local production of biomedical equipment suited for Nigeria’s environment.Udoatan said the overall goal is to strengthen technical capacity, encourage innovation and build a strong pipeline of skilled engineering professionals capable of driving Nigeria’s industrial development.
