President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Engr. Margaret Aina Oguntala, has called for the establishment of a Pan-African Mining Engineering Competency Framework to harmonize engineering curricula, training, certification, and professional mobility across the continent.
This was contained in a statement from Oguntala’s media office on Sunday, November 2, highlighting her presentation at the Russian-African Raw Materials Roundtable Dialogue held at the Mining University, Russia.
According to the statement, Engr. Oguntala emphasized the critical role of engineers, effective regulation, and regional cooperation in driving sustainable development within Africa’s mining and raw materials sectors.
“The mining and raw materials sector is central to Africa’s industrialization and sustainable growth. Realizing its full potential depends on the competence of engineers, strong regulatory frameworks, and coordinated regional efforts,” she said.
The NSE President noted Nigeria’s commitment to enhancing engineering standards through Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programs, national regulation under the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), and collaborations with regional partners.
Oguntala further advocated for the development of new mining engineering standards that integrate safety, sustainability, local content, and ethical practices, while fostering regional cooperation among African nations.
She also proposed harmonizing engineering regulations and practices across the continent to promote mutual recognition of professional qualifications, stressing that the proposed Pan-African Framework should be championed by engineering societies and regulatory bodies.
“The future of mining in Africa will be determined not only by what we extract but by the standards we set, the engineers we train, the regulations we uphold, and the cooperation we build across borders,” Oguntala stated.
Other Nigerian engineers, including Engr. Tina Emwinghare Oigiagbe, Chairman of NSE Benin Branch, and Engr. Muhammed Bashir Shettima, Chairman of NSE Maiduguri Branch, also made presentations on professional certification and capacity-building experiences in Nigeria.
The dialogue, the statement added, served as a significant platform to strengthen collaboration between Africa and Russia in the mining and raw materials industries.