Lagos: The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) have entered into a technical partnership aimed at fostering the sustainable growth of Nigeria’s marine and blue economy. The agreement was solidified during a meeting between NSE President Mrs. Margaret Oguntala and NPA Managing Director Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho in Marina.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the NSE President highlighted the critical role of engineering excellence in the marine and blue economy sector. Mrs. Oguntala took the opportunity to extend an invitation to Dr. Dantsoho and his team to attend the upcoming 2025 NSE International Conference scheduled for December in Ibadan. The conference, themed ‘Engineering Innovation for a Sustainable Blue Economy’, is expected to feature the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola.
Mrs. Oguntala emphasized the importance of partnerships for the conference, suggesting that Dr. Dantsoho be a lead speaker and urging the NPA to sponsor technical sessions focused on knowledge sharing in the marine and blue economy. She also offered the NPA a chance to exhibit at the event and announced the nomination of NPA engineers to serve on the conference planning committee.
In her address, Mrs. Oguntala outlined the various collaborations the society has undertaken across industrial, government, and academic sectors, underscoring the strategic significance of partnering with the NPA. She spoke on the emerging importance of the marine and blue economy, noting its potential as a future growth sector.
The NSE President also addressed concerns raised by professional engineers at the NPA regarding entry-level standards for graduate engineers. She detailed the legal and administrative steps the society has taken to upgrade the minimum entry level for engineers in public service, including those at the NPA, to level 10.
Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, the NPA Managing Director, highlighted that a significant portion of the NPA’s personnel and operations is centered around engineering. He assured that the collaboration with the NSE would be instrumental in advancing Nigeria’s development, citing examples of other countries that have achieved progress through partnerships with engineers.
Dr. Dantsoho emphasized the value of engineering expertise in port operations and services, outlining the various engineering disciplines employed within the NPA and their contributions to the authority’s functions.