Prof. Onwualu Calls for Digital Transformation as NIAE Enthrones New National Chairman

Abuja, Nigeria — The President of the African University of Science and Technology (AUST), Abuja, Prof. ( Engr.) Azikiwe Peter Onwualu, FAS, has called for a digital revolution in agricultural engineering to strengthen food security and drive sustainable national development in Nigeria.

Prof. Onwualu made the call while delivering a keynote address at the inauguration and swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected National Chairman and Executive Council of the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers (NIAE), held on 13 December 2025 at the National Engineering Centre, Abuja.

At the ceremony, Engr. Prof. Joseph Chukwuma Adama, MNSE, FNIAE, was formally inaugurated as the new National Chairman of NIAE, marking a significant leadership transition for the professional body at a time of growing demand for engineering-driven solutions to Nigeria’s agricultural and food security challenges.

Speaking on the theme “Agricultural Engineering in the Era of Digital Transformation for Food Security in Nigeria: The Role of the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers,” Prof. Onwualu described the inauguration as a critical milestone for advancing agricultural engineering practice and innovation in the country.

He noted that despite Nigeria’s rich endowment in land, biodiversity, and human capital, challenges such as low productivity, post-harvest losses, climate variability, and inefficient supply chains continue to limit the sector’s performance.

According to him, digital transformation—through the application of data science, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), precision mechanization, renewable energy systems, smart irrigation, and modern storage technologies—offers agricultural engineers a unique opportunity to redesign Nigeria’s food systems for resilience, efficiency, and inclusiveness.

Prof. Onwualu emphasized that digital solutions must be translated into practical, scalable, and locally relevant applications, stressing the importance of precision farming, smart mechanization, post-harvest loss reduction, renewable energy integration, and digital market access. He urged the new NIAE leadership to champion capacity building, standards and innovation, and strategic partnerships as key pillars for driving impact within the profession.

Reaffirming AUST’s commitment to advancing agricultural engineering and applied research, the AUST boss expressed the University’s readiness to deepen collaboration with NIAE in research, capacity development, and knowledge transfer.

He also announced plans to work with the newly inaugurated NIAE executives in establishing an innovation grant award aimed at encouraging NIAE students to develop digital solutions across the agricultural value chain.

Onwualu, commended the outgoing NIAE leadership for their services and urged the new executive council to prioritize industry-academia collaboration, youth engagement, ethical innovation, and inclusive technology adoption to ensure that digital transformation benefits both large-scale and smallholder farmers.

The inauguration ceremony attracted agricultural engineers and stakeholders from across the country, including leaders of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, who delivered goodwill messages and underscored the importance of strong professional leadership in positioning agricultural engineering as a catalyst for national development.