President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has been inducted as an Honorary Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering at a ceremony held in Victoria Island, Lagos.
The prestigious recognition, titled Distinguished Honorary Fellow of the Academy, was conferred on Dangote by the President of the academy, Rahamon Bello, in the presence of family members, including his daughters, and top executives of the Dangote Group.
Speaking after receiving the honour, Dangote reiterated the need for Nigeria to pursue economic self-reliance, emphasising the importance of strengthening local manufacturing and investing in critical infrastructure.
He stressed that sustainable economic independence cannot be achieved without what he described as “technical sovereignty,” urging the country to prioritise domestic production over import dependence.
“True economic independence is impossible without technical sovereignty. We must design, fabricate, and build what we consume,” he said.
Dangote identified stable electricity as a key driver of industrial development, calling for urgent and sustained investment in power generation and expansion of the national grid.
“We must build power. I keep repeating it—we must build it. Together, let us engineer a Nigeria that works not just for some, but for everyone,” he added.
He cited the Dangote Refinery as an example of what can be achieved through large-scale industrial ambition, noting that its capacity ranks among the largest globally. According to him, the broader vision of the Dangote Group is to reduce reliance on imports and position Nigeria—and Africa—as a major hub for industrial production.
“Our goal has always been clear: to make Nigeria, and by extension Africa, self-sufficient in goods we once imported, and to prove that this ambition is achievable at scale,” he stated.
Dangote also cautioned about the growing influence of artificial intelligence in engineering, warning that aspects of design and production could become increasingly automated. He urged professionals in the field to stay ahead by shaping how such technologies are applied within the industry.
Dangote Inducted as Honorary Fellow of Nigerian Academy of Engineering, Advocates Self-Reliant Economy
