New NSE President Takes Office, Urges Govt to Implement ‘Buy Nigeria First’ Policy

Says MDAs observing initiative in breach 

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja 

The 35th President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) Ali Rabiu, was at  the weekend inaugurated at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, with a call on the federal government to take the implementation of the ‘Buy Nigeria First’ policy seriously.

In his inaugural address, Rabiu applauded President Bola Tinubu for the initiative, describing it as a transformative move capable of positioning Nigeria as a true giant of Africa, but expressed concern over poor compliance by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

He disclosed that major infrastructure projects worth trillions of naira were being executed without adequate involvement of Nigerian engineers, contrary to existing laws, and emphasised the requirement for MDAs to engage Nigerian engineering professionals from project conception through completion.

Rabiu stated that his administration would focus on resetting the NSE, strengthening its institutional foundations, and restoring its role as a critical driver of engineering excellence and national progress. 

“We are particularly pleased with the “Buy Nigeria First” policy recently introduced by Mr. President through the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP). This initiative, if well implemented, will catapult Nigeria into becoming a true giant of Africa.

“However, it may shock Mr. President to know that MDAs, especially infrastructure-related ministries such as the Federal Ministries of Works, Power, Water Resources, and the Federal Capital Territory Administration, have largely observed these laws in the breach. 

“Projects running into trillions of naira are being executed across Nigeria, both by the federal government and the state governments, without the involvement of Nigerian engineering professionals. Mr. President may also wish to be informed that MDAs are mandated to ensure that, before the award of any contract, Nigerian counterpart staff are engaged from the conception stage to the completion of the project,” he stated.

Contrary to well-established global practice, he lamented that contracts are awarded and executed without the clear involvement of competent engineering consultants, arguing that the practice of engaging external consultants to design, supervise, and provide independent professional opinions in public infrastructure delivery is globally accepted as best practice.

“Nigeria cannot be different. At present, ministries implement public projects as employers, designers, supervisors, and payers. This concentration of roles largely explains why many of our projects are delivered with poor quality and at high cost,” he explained.

The former President of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) pleaded with Tinubu to, as a matter of urgency, implement the “Buy Nigeria First” policy by engaging competent Nigerian consultants in the design, supervision, and certification of all projects costing over N500 million.

He revealed that his administration would be guided by the NSE’s strategic document, a 10-year blueprint recently approved by the council, describing it as a directional framework that would shape policies, actions and engagements.

According to Rabiu, his presidency will focus on five strategic pillars derived from the document, including: membership development, strategic partnerships, international relations, community impact, and institutional branding.

In his remarks, former President Goodluck Jonathan, represented by Senator Pius Anyim Pius, congratulated Rabiu and urged him to strengthen Engineering Regulation Monitoring (ERM) to address the recurring incidents of building collapse across the country. 

He also called for stronger collaboration with relevant authorities to curb quackery in the engineering sector.

Similarly, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, represented by Senator  Patrick Ndubueze, pledged the Senate’s support for the NSE, affirming its readiness to work closely with the Society to advance engineering development in Nigeria.

In the same vein, the Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, FNSE, described Rabiu’s presidency as a timely opportunity to elevate professional standards and strengthen policy influence. 

Also speaking, the immediate past President of the NSE, Margaret Oguntala, expressed happiness that she was leaving the Society greater and far better than she met it, stressing that the milestones recorded were not achieved by one individual.