Experts advocate innovation, technology-driven solutions for sustainable economic growth

Stakeholders in academia, industry and research on Monday advocated greater investment in innovation, engineering and technology as critical drivers of economic growth, job creation and sustainable development in Nigeria and across Africa.

The call was made at the opening of the fourth Faculty of Engineering and Technology International Conference (FETICON 2026) at the University of Ilorin, where experts identified renewable energy, artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, sustainable agriculture and research commercialisation as key pathways to addressing unemployment, poverty and climate-related challenges.

Welcoming participants to the conference, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Ilorin, Professor Joshua Olarenwaju Olaoye, said the theme, “Innovating for a Sustainable and Resilient Future: Technology as a Catalyst for Economic Development”, reflects the need for practical innovations capable of driving economic growth and sustainable development.

Olaoye commended the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wahab Egbewole (SAN), for his support for research, innovation and academic excellence.

He highlighted some of the faculty’s achievements to include expansion of the FETUILS TechHub, progress on electric vehicle and charging station projects, strengthening of the Nigerian Journal of Technological Development (NJTD), and efforts aimed at commercialising research outputs through industry partnerships.

The Dean also disclosed that the conference would feature the FETICON Students’ Colloquium, Tech Trade Fair and the second Research Products Industrial Summit, all aimed at promoting innovation, entrepreneurship and industry-academia collaboration.

Delivering the keynote address, Professor Daniel Kitaw of Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, said Africa would require about 450 million new jobs within the next 25 years, while Nigeria alone would need more than 30 million jobs.

He noted that technology remains a major catalyst for economic transformation, job creation and sustainable development.

According to him, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, biotechnology and advanced materials offer significant opportunities for growth and industrial development across the continent.

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Kitaw said Nigeria’s vast solar energy potential could support renewable energy expansion, improve electricity access and create thousands of jobs.

He also identified precision agriculture, digital financial systems and circular economy innovations as tools for improving food security, financial inclusion and productivity.

The keynote speaker urged universities to strengthen innovation, entrepreneurship and research commercialisation through closer collaboration with industry.

In a plenary presentation, the Managing Director of Protogy Global Services Limited, Engineer Ademola Agoro, said engineering technology remains central to building sustainable and resilient economies.

He observed that climate change, energy insecurity, urbanisation and technological disruption have increased pressure on existing systems, making innovation more important than ever.

Agoro stressed that modern engineering should focus not only on efficiency but also on resilience, ensuring systems can withstand and adapt to emerging challenges.

He identified artificial intelligence, automation, robotics, smart grids, blockchain technology and digital infrastructure as key drivers of future economic growth.

Also speaking, Principal Scientist at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, Dr Ranjan Bhattacharyya, raised concerns over the growing impact of soil degradation and erosion on agricultural productivity.

He noted that soil erosion, declining soil organic carbon and nutrient depletion continue to threaten sustainable agriculture in many developing countries, including Nigeria.

Bhattacharyya advocated conservation agriculture and carbon sequestration as effective strategies for improving soil health, boosting productivity and mitigating climate change.

He recommended practices such as cover cropping, agroforestry, mulching, contour farming and residue management to reduce soil loss and improve land productivity.

The conference featured discussions on renewable energy, climate-resilient agriculture, cybersecurity, biomedical engineering, advanced materials, smart systems and sustainable industrial development.

Participants expressed optimism that the conference would strengthen collaboration among researchers, industry players and policymakers while promoting technology-driven solutions to developmental challenges.