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The Sectors Where Engineers are Found

by Fred Nwaozor > This classification captures the major ecosystems or sectors where professional engineers operate. What matters is how their roles shift in focus across these sectors, even though the core engineering principles remain the same. 1. Government (Policy formulation & implementation) In government, engineers function less as hands-on designers and more as technical decision-makers. They contribute to national development by shaping policies, regulations, and standards that guide engineering practice. For example, a civil or telecom engineer in a regulatory agency may help draft infrastructure policies, evaluate national projects, or enforce compliance with safety and quality standards. Their authority ensures that engineering decisions align with public interest; balancing cost, safety, sustainability, and long-term impact. Here, engineering judgment influences what gets built, how it is built, and whether it should be built at all. 2. Academia (Teach...

NASS deliberates on 55 New States in Nigeria

Rufus Okoro
The National Assembly (NASS) has begun deliberations on constitutional amendments that include proposals for the creation of 55 new states as well as 278 additional local government areas across Nigeria.

Speaking at the opening of a two-day joint retreat of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on the Review of the 1999 Constitution in Lagos State, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin — who also chairs the Senate Committee on Constitution Review — reaffirmed the legislature’s commitment to delivering “people-centred and timely” amendments.

He urged lawmakers to work diligently toward submitting the first batch of proposed amendments to state Houses of Assembly before the end of the year.

“It has been a long journey to bring together the Senate and House of Representatives’ Constitution Amendment proposals, which touch on several sections and subject matters,” Barau said.

“We have been engaging constituents, stakeholders, institutions, and civil society groups over the past two years through town halls, public hearings, and interactive sessions.

“The result is what we have today — 69 bills, 55 requests for state creation, two boundary adjustments, and 278 requests for new local governments,” he added.

Barau expressed optimism that the committees could make substantial progress within the two-day session, despite the complexity of the issues involved.

“It won’t be an easy task to complete in two days, but I believe we can achieve it, especially since we’ve assured Nigerians that we will deliver the first set of amendments to the State Assemblies before the end of this year,” he noted.

The Deputy Senate President, who also serves as First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, called for unity and patriotism among lawmakers during the review process.

“We are here as one committee — there should be no division between ‘us’ and ‘them.’ Our guiding principle should be the interest of Nigerians,” he emphasized.

Amending the 1999 Constitution has long been a challenging process, often hampered by political disagreements, and regional interests, It'snoteworthy that the requirement for constitutional amendment is that at least two-third of Nigeria’s 36 state Houses of Assembly would approve any proposed amendment.

Fred Nwaozor, popularly known as TheMediaAmbassador, is a Nigerian tech expert, author, creative & content writer, media strategist, policy analyst, blogger, public speaker and rights activist. The renowned columnist regularly writes for the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), and is the Founder & Convener of Right Thinkers Movement (RITMO), Nigeria. He's a chartered industrial physicist, engineer and IT personnel. As a media guru, he enjoys an active presence in all media segments - including electronic, print & digital - since two decades ago till date. As a full-time researcher and educator, he's a regular contributor and peer reviewer for various internationally-noted engineering journals. As Telecommunications and Automation engineer, his research interest mainly lies in System Modelling, Internet of Things (IoT), Smart city, Cybersecurity, Wireless networks, and Machine Learning (ML).