The president of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Ali Rabiu, has called on engineers nationwide to actively participate in politics ahead of the 2027 elections.
Mr Rabiu made the appeal on Tuesday during an online interactive session with members, where he presented a midterm report on the state of the engineering body. He outlined the growing role of engineers in governance, infrastructure advocacy and policy reforms.
He urged engineers to join credible political platforms and contest elective offices to strengthen professional representation in governance and public policy. The NSE, he said, remained committed to supporting any engineer aspiring to political office as part of its vision to enhance professional representation in government policy spaces.
He noted that a few members had already obtained forms for political positions, citing Adamawa Central Senatorial District as an example, where two senior engineers are vying for the Senate.
Mr Rabiu said the NSE had sustained advocacy on national issues, including electoral reforms, power sector governance and federal budget implementation. According to him, the society’s intervention following the National Assembly’s resolution against electronic transmission of election results contributed to a reversal of that decision.
He also disclosed that the NSE had written an open letter to President Bola Tinubu on the newly inaugurated Grid Asset Management Company of Nigeria, recommending that the company be led by an experienced Nigerian power engineer.
Mr Rabiu informed members that the federal government had recently appointed him to chair a special intervention committee on engineering and technology faculties in federal universities, a move he said reflected the government’s confidence in the technical competence and credibility of the NSE.
On internal developments, he announced the approval of a new branch in Oredo, Edo State, raising the total number of NSE branches nationwide to 94. He said the society had begun a comprehensive review of its fellowship admission process to restore the prestige of the cadre, and that the fellowship application portal had been temporarily closed pending completion of the review.
The NSE is also strengthening its landed assets portfolio. Mr Rabiu said the certificate of occupancy had been obtained for its Bwari mass housing land in the Federal Capital Territory, while redevelopment had commenced on the Gwarinpa property. The Kubwa property is being marketed to raise funds for the housing scheme.
Renovation of the Lagos National Engineering Centre is ongoing in phases, and legal efforts continue to secure the centre’s extension land.
Finally, Mr Rabiu said the NSE had expanded its international engagements through collaborations with African engineering bodies, disclosing that the society had become a founding partner of the Federation of African Engineering Organisations Academy.