The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has expressed its willingness to collaborate with engineering professionals in Africa to develop the technology sector.
The Director General, Kashifu Inuwa said, the aim of this collaboration is to incorporate emerging technological tools, services, and knowledge into engineering processes, ultimately leading to improved productivity and customer satisfaction.
During a meeting at the NITDA headquarters in Abuja, the agency hosted a team from the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), led by its Registrar, Engr. Prof. Adisa A. Bello, and a team from the Engineers Board of Kenya, led by its chairman, Engr Erastus K. Mwongera.
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Africa must adopt advanced technology
Inuwa emphasized that emerging technologies are transforming the way engineers design and develop equipment globally, and it is essential for Africa to adopt these technologies to enhance productivity in engineering processes.
He highlighted the need for convergence between information technology and engineering, as it would reduce the cost of research and development while facilitating real-time innovations to achieve desired results.
Inuwa provided an example from the field of mechanical engineering, stating that traditional machines are being replaced by smart and connected machines that can generate data for predictive maintenance and predictive analytics. This indicates the growing importance of data in engineering processes.
He said NITDA aims to collaborate with engineering professionals in Africa to leverage emerging technologies and integrate them into engineering practices, leading to more efficient and innovative outcomes.
NITDA Collaboration is key
The NITDA Director General expressed his excitement at the interest in collaboration shown by the visiting engineering professionals, recognizing it as an opportunity to collectively harness ideas and expertise to propel Africa to a prominent position.
He emphasized the importance of Africa looking inward to develop its own countries and highlighted engineers as problem solvers who can contribute to local solutions.
“I am glad that Africa is now looking inward to see how to put our energies together to develop African countries. Engineers are problem solvers and as long as the solutions are local, it will require local initiative as well,” he stated.
Inuwa believed that Africa has the potential to become a global superpower in the fourth Industrial Revolution, and he encouraged the visiting engineering bodies to develop the necessary capabilities and flexibility to thrive in this era.
In line with the disruptive nature of technology, Inuwa mentioned that NITDA had implemented various initiatives and strategies to strengthen the innovative ecosystem, both within and beyond Nigeria.
The agency is actively promoting innovation-driven enterprises and aims to take their solutions to the global market. NITDA also focuses on bringing youths together, building ecosystems, and developing solutions to address local problems.
Impact of information technology
The NITDA Director-General praised the transformative impact of information technology on traditional processes, stating that it has been a source of inspiration by enabling creative ideas, enhancing business value propositions, and offering new problem-solving approaches.
Inuwa emphasized the importance of leveraging digital technologies to enhance engineering processes and encouraged the visiting professionals to fully exploit the capabilities of Ubiquitous Data, Connectivity, and Processing Power. He assured them that with these capabilities, nothing is impossible, and any desired outcome can be achieved.
Prof. Bello, the Registrar of COREN, acknowledged NITDA’s significant achievements over the years and appreciated the agency’s willingness to collaborate in integrating information technology into engineering processes for improved productivity.
Engr. Mwongera, the Chairman of the Engineers Board of Kenya, expressed his admiration for the exceptional work being carried out at NITDA’s National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR). He expressed his delight at collaborating with NITDA and using their achievements as benchmarks to enhance engineering processes in Kenya and across the continent.