Brigadier General Sikiru Adepoju Mohammed has urged Nigerian industries to start funding university research to solve real-life problems and help the country grow. He made this call while speaking at a major engineering and science conference at the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) in Calabar.
General Mohammed said industries should not rely only on the government but must support practical research that helps their businesses. He stressed that without this support, Nigeria’s dreams of a digital economy and national development would remain far off. He also urged universities to stop teaching theory alone and include more hands-on training. “We cannot keep graduating engineers who have never used a screwdriver,” he said.
The General shared examples of innovations made by students under his guidance and encouraged both schools and companies to work together. He said this partnership is key to solving Nigeria’s problems and leveraging modern technologies like AI and 3D printing.
