By Angela Atabo
The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), in collaboration with MIDAS IT of India, has donated engineering software packages valued at 17.4 million dollars to 15 Nigerian universities.
The NSE said the gesture was aimed at boosting engineering education and strengthening practical design knowledge among students in civil, structural, and geotechnical engineering, among other fields.
Benefiting universities include Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; University of Benin; University of Lagos; Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi; and University of Abuja.
Others are the University of Maiduguri, and the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Osara, Kogi, among others.
NSE President and Chairman-in-Council, Mrs Margaret Oguntala, disclosed this during the official handover of the software packages in Abuja.
Oguntala said the donation was a major contribution to advancing engineering capacity and improving the quality of education in Nigerian institutions.
“This moment presents us with a valuable opportunity to accelerate meaningful action in advancing engineering education and professional development in Nigeria.
“It is our collective duty to guide, support and inspire students to reach their full potential. Through mentorship and knowledge-sharing, we can equip them to lead the profession with excellence, ”she said.
She urged universities to close the gap between academia and industry to ensure that engineering graduates were well-prepared to function effectively upon graduation.
“As the world embraces the Fourth Industrial Revolution, it has become increasingly critical to create pathways for young innovators to move from classroom concepts to real-world applications,” she added.
Oguntala commended the Republic of India and MIDAS IT for their generosity, describing the collaboration as a valuable step towards technology transfer and bilateral cooperation.
“The Republic of India, through MIDAS IT, has demonstrated true friendship by supporting Nigeria’s development aspirations with world-class information technology tools,” she said.
She called on the Federal Government to strengthen cooperation with India in technology transfer, capacity building, and infrastructure development.
Managing Director for Africa and UAE, MIDAS IT Co., Mr Naga Anne, said the company was committed to making technology accessible to students to prepare them for the future.
“Once we give them the right tools, they will find their own ways to learn and grow. That is how this mission at MIDAS began,” he said.
He added that the donation marked the first step in a broader plan to equip students with practical tools bridging the gap between learning and industrial practice.
“This is the first phase focusing on civil engineering software. In the next stage, we may include mechanical engineering and donate related software,” Anne said.
He noted that the firm’s flagship product, MIDAS GenX, would be used for designing buildings, bridges, and other civil engineering structures.
The NSE Chairman, Policy Think Tank Committee, Prof. Michael Faborode, said the initiative aimed to produce skilled graduates capable of ending the era of building collapses and road failures in Nigeria.
Similarly, the NSE Vice President for Professional Development, Prof. Aluyah Okodugha, said the project would help Nigerian engineers compete favourably with their global peers.
“We have continually encouraged government, industry, and development partners to take deliberate steps in providing modern tools that enhance engineering education and practice,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the benefiting institutions, the Vice Chancellor of CUSTECH, Prof. Abdulrahman Salawu, thanked MIDAS IT and NSE for the support.
He pledged that the universities would work towards developing indigenous software solutions to address local engineering challenges. (NAN)
Edited by Deji Abdulwahab
