Monarch Calls for Greater Support for Engineering Technologists

A traditional ruler, Oba Sulaiman Bamgbade has called for stronger institutional backing for engineering technologists in Nigeria, stressing that the country’s technological and infrastructural progress depends heavily on their expertise.

Bamgbade made the appeal during a recent event where he highlighted the vital role technologists play in national development.

He noted that while engineers are often recognized, technologists — who provide practical, hands-on solutions in construction, manufacturing, and industrial operations — rarely receive equal support or visibility despite being central to Nigeria’s growth ambitions.

The monarch urged government agencies, professional bodies, and private-sector players to increase investment in the training, empowerment, and advancement of engineering technologists.

According to him, giving them better tools, funding, and career opportunities would strengthen the country’s engineering capacity and accelerate development projects nationwide.

His remarks align with ongoing advocacy from the Nigerian Association of Technologists in Engineering (NATE), which has consistently pushed for greater recognition, improved funding for technology-based education, and enhanced career progression for technologists, many of whom graduate from polytechnics and face long-standing disparities in the industry.

Oba Bamgbade reaffirmed that Nigeria cannot achieve sustainable industrialization without valuing both engineers and technologists equally.

He called on policymakers to close professional gaps, strengthen technical institutions, and ensure technologists receive the support necessary to contribute fully to the nation’s technological advancement.