Lagos NSE Inducts Young Engineers, Urge Deployment of AI to Solve Nigeria’s Challenges

Bennett Oghifo

The Lagos State Branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), during the week, inducted a new set of young Engineers, charging them to deploy Artificial Intelligence (AI) positively to solve Nigeria’s challenges.

The Chairman, Nigerian Society of Engineers, Lagos Branch, Engr. Olukorede Kesha, stated this in her welcome address, at the Graduateship Induction Programme that was held in the University of Lagos, Akoka.

The theme of the induction was; “AI Revolution in Engineering, Entrepreneurship, and Nation Building.” 

On AI and Nation Building, Engr. Kesha said, “Engineers built the bridges that connect our cities, the power grids that light our homes, and the systems that sustain our industries. But the task ahead is even greater. 

“Nigeria stands on the brink of a renaissance — a moment where technology and talent can converge to solve our deepest challenges, the nation is calling on you to lead.

So, what will you do?

– Will you be spectators of change, or will you lead the charge?

– Will you lead with urgency, passion, and purpose?

– Will you be remembered as the generation that transformed Nigeria?

“As you step out of this auditorium today, remember that your education is not just a privilege but a tool — a tool to serve, to innovate, and to inspire. There is no time to waste. The challenges are here. But so are the opportunities. As Engineers, do not just think outside the box – break the box apart and build something entirely new.

“Yes, the future is something to create, but I say, the future is here already, and standing here to deliver this address is both a litmus test that the future is present, and also proof-positive of the very many things to accomplish with AI.

“Let this be your moment of rebirth as engineers and nation-builders. Be bold. Be visionary. Be relentless – and may history remember this class as the generation that transformed Nigeria and left an indelible mark on the world.”

While congratulating the new inductees, she said, “You, the engineers of today, are the architects of tomorrow’s Nigeria. The future is yours to create.”

Earlier, she said the theme of this event, “AI Revolution in Engineering, Entrepreneurship, and Nation Building,” is a demand for urgency — a challenge to each of us to redefine the boundaries of possibility. Artificial intelligence is no longer the future; it is the present. It is the engine driving innovation, the force reshaping industries, and the tool redefining what it means to create, build, and solve.

“Right where you are seated, take it as no co-incidence. You are exactly where you need to be in this moment. A moment that challenges you and I to seize the future with both hands, for the future is already here, unfolding at breakneck speed.

“As engineers, you are not just problem solvers; you are creators of systems, architects of solutions, and builders of nations. And today, you inherit a responsibility that goes beyond calculations and codes. The question is not just what you can build with AI, but how you can wield it to transform our society.”

On AI and Engineering, she said, “As engineers, you are not simply stepping into a profession — you are stepping into a battlefield of ideas, innovation, and disruption. From designing smarter infrastructure to solving complex healthcare challenges, AI is revolutionising the engineering landscape. But remember this: technology is only as powerful as the people who harness it. You are the drivers of this revolution. It is your curiosity, your ingenuity, and your courage to question the status quo that will dictate the future. Will your hands be among those that shape the future? Or will you let this moment pass you by?”

Discussing AI and Entrepreneurship, Kesha said, “The entrepreneurial spirit thrives where others see challenges. With AI, the barriers to innovation have fallen. You no longer need to be in Silicon Valley to create world- changing solutions. Right here in Lagos, right here in Nigeria, you have the tools to innovate, disrupt, and lead. The AI revolution is your opportunity to create not just businesses but ecosystems that uplift communities and fuel economic growth.

“The world will not wait for you. If you do not act, and now, someone else will.”

During an interview on the sideline of the event, Kesha said, “You’ll agree with me that technology didn’t come out during our own time. And AI is all about technology. So it’s their own thing, it’s their tenure.

“We’re saying that they should harness and channel the time spent on their systems to positive and something very constructive. And that’s what somebody did by inventing AI. So we can take advantage of that in the area of security, engineering infrastructure, just that, my own fear is that it’s going to replace humans if we’re not careful, and that’s why I’m not too much an advocate. But you can’t stop a moving train, you either jump in or you’re left behind. So we’re advising them to jump into the moving train.

“My advice is that everybody should try and be in there. If you’re in a generation after me, especially if you belong to this Gen Z, you don’t have an option. We are still Manual and it is working for us. But we need this generation to take us to the next level, because the world is not waiting behind. Nigeria cannot lag behind. So, we’re just saying that they should channel all this, their efforts at technology in the right direction. And that’s the AI.”

The Guest Speaker Engr. Dideolu Falobi, FNSE, FIOD, Managing Director of Krestal Laurel said, “The contemporary issue, and which will determine our very, very close future is AI, the AI revolution, and that is virtually equipping machines to be able to function as human beings. So that’s what AI is about, and it’s already going or it’s been deployed in all industries. So for any young engineer coming out of school, the education now today is incomplete, if you are not conversant with the basics of AI and how to deploy them in whatever function you are using, whatever you want to do, in engineering, construction, in road management, everything.” 

He said, “Several years ago, work was completely manual, and people were losing jobs, and then the automation started, and everybody was complaining. The computerization started. All you need to do is to improve yourself, acquire skills. Every new innovation, every new revolution, opens new doors, and that’s what we are trying to get the students or the new graduate to understand. If you want to practice engineering the way we practiced it, you’re not going to find your feet, because even we, who left several years ago, relatively, are also adapting to the new developments in the industry in which AI is the most revolutionary today. So there is nothing like losing your job. There are going to be new opportunities. And that’s why I highlighted the opportunities that you present. There will be skills. There will be development of all the different, all sorts of different solutions.”