Executive vice chairman, state/ chief executive of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Prof. Mohammed Haruna, has said Nigeria is retraining its professionals and artisans to prepare them for new and emerging technologies in preparation for the next industrial revolution.
Haruna made the disclosures during the first-phase of South-South regional skill development at the Construction and Fabrication Academy of West Africa, Calabar, where About 100 youths were shortlisted for training in modern methods of electrical installations and maintenance.
According to a statement issued by the agency yesterday, Haruna noted that the cutting-edge technologies or frontier technologies will shape the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the nation cannot afford to be left behind.
He also said President Muhammadu Buhari has empowered the agency to lead the nation in the direction of a manufacturing economy. He said, “This training is therefore to familiarise the trainees not only on the current advances of the new and emerging technologies in electrical Installations, Repairs and Maintenance, but also prepare and equip them and build adequate competencies to meet the challenges and opportunities of the development anticipated of the shape and nature of the next Industrial Revolution.
“The president has continued to empower NASENI to lead the nation in the direction of a manufacturing economy, and undoubtedly this type of skill development is a key prerequisite toward the development of a competent workforce for Nigeria.
“I urge the participants to judiciously and guard jealously the expensive tools to be given to them at the end of this training as their start-up.” He added, “Development in cutting edge technologies or frontier technologies as the innovations that are shaping the fourth industrial revolution are named is no doubt disrupting many things and introducing constant changes and standards.
“These technologies include Artificial Intelligence (AI); Robotics; the Internet of Things (IoT); Big Data; Block Chain; Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing); Autonomous Vehicles; Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Gene Editing; 5G Network; and even Smart Grid and agitations for wireless electricity.
“Every aspect of human endeavour, Agriculture, Health, Industry, Transport, Hospitality etc all require electricity albeit well advanced Electric Energy. “Electrical installation, repairs and maintenance will no longer be metre conduiting, piping or trunking of cable channels and streaming overhead conductors.
