Ali Rabiu was formally inaugurated over the weekend as the 35th President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where he urged the Federal Government to fully enforce the ‘Buy Nigeria First’ policy.
In his inaugural speech, Rabiu commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for introducing the policy, describing it as a bold and transformative initiative capable of repositioning Nigeria as Africa’s leading industrial power. However, he expressed concern over the widespread non-compliance by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
According to him, several major infrastructure projects valued at trillions of naira are currently being executed without sufficient participation of Nigerian engineers, in violation of existing laws. He stressed that MDAs are required to involve Nigerian engineering professionals from the conceptual stage through to project completion.
Rabiu noted that his tenure would prioritise repositioning the NSE, reinforcing its institutional structures, and reclaiming its role as a key driver of engineering excellence and national development.
He said the Society was particularly encouraged by the ‘Buy Nigeria First’ policy rolled out by the President through the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), noting that effective implementation would elevate Nigeria’s economic and industrial standing across Africa. He, however, revealed that many MDAs—especially infrastructure-related ministries such as Works, Power, Water Resources, and the Federal Capital Territory Administration—have largely ignored the policy.
He disclosed that both federal and state governments are executing multi-trillion-naira projects nationwide without engaging Nigerian engineering professionals. Rabiu further pointed out that regulations mandate MDAs to ensure Nigerian counterpart engineers are involved before contract awards, from project design to final execution.
He lamented that, contrary to global best practices, contracts in Nigeria are often awarded and carried out without the proper engagement of qualified engineering consultants. He explained that internationally, independent consultants are routinely engaged to design, supervise, and provide professional oversight for public infrastructure projects.
“Nigeria should not be an exception,” he said, adding that ministries currently assume multiple roles as project owners, designers, supervisors, and paymasters. According to him, this concentration of responsibilities largely accounts for the high costs and substandard quality associated with many public projects.
The former President of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) appealed to President Tinubu to urgently enforce the ‘Buy Nigeria First’ policy by mandating the engagement of competent Nigerian consultants for the design, supervision, and certification of all projects valued above N500 million.
Rabiu also disclosed that his administration would be guided by the NSE’s newly approved 10-year strategic blueprint, which he described as a comprehensive framework that would direct the Society’s policies, programmes, and engagements.
He outlined five key strategic focus areas for his presidency: membership development, strategic partnerships, international relations, community impact, and institutional branding.
In his goodwill message, former President Goodluck Jonathan, represented by Senator Pius Anyim Pius, congratulated Rabiu and called on him to strengthen Engineering Regulation Monitoring (ERM) to curb the persistent cases of building collapse nationwide. He also urged closer collaboration with relevant agencies to eliminate quackery in the engineering profession.
Similarly, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, represented by Senator Patrick Ndubueze, assured the NSE of the National Assembly’s support, pledging the Senate’s readiness to work with the Society to promote engineering development in Nigeria.
Also speaking, the Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, FNSE, described Rabiu’s emergence as a timely opportunity to raise professional standards and enhance policy influence within the sector.
Meanwhile, the immediate past President of the NSE, Margaret Oguntala, expressed satisfaction that she was leaving the Society stronger and better than she met it, emphasising that the achievements recorded during her tenure were the result of collective effort rather than individual accomplishment.