The Federal University of Oye Ekiti recently honored Femi Owoeye, founder and editor of Motoring World International, for his significant contributions to Nigeria’s engineering sector through the media.
Owoeye received the recognition at the 2025 induction ceremony for Graduate Engineers and the fifth Professor Chinedu Nebo Faculty Lecture, held at the Faculty of Engineering Hall at the Federal University Oye Ekiti.
Prof. O. Akinsanmi, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, presented the award, praising Owoeye’s efforts in advancing automobile engineering in Nigeria. Through Motoring World International, a publication Owoeye founded nearly three decades ago, he has not only promoted the industry but also advocated for policies aimed at its development, filling a major gap in the reporting of Nigeria’s automobile industry.
During the event, Owoeye delivered a lecture titled ‘Engineering Entrepreneurship: A Pathway to Economic Independence for Nigerian Youth’. He urged the graduate engineers to embrace entrepreneurship, emphasizing that the future belongs to those who can identify problems and create solutions.
Owoeye pointed out that today’s youth no longer need to wait for government jobs or traditional employment opportunities. Engineering entrepreneurship, he noted, is about more than just starting a business; it’s about solving problems, creating jobs, and contributing to national development.
He stressed that embracing entrepreneurship in engineering is crucial for tackling unemployment, fostering technological innovation, and supporting Nigeria’s economic growth within the digital economy.
Owoeye advised the graduates to focus on cultivating a problem-solving mindset, acquiring business and leadership skills, utilizing technology, and building strategic partnerships. He also encouraged them to think creatively and look for societal challenges that require engineering solutions.
He further emphasized that the era of merely seeking certificates for employment has passed. According to Owoeye, developing nations, especially Nigeria, offer vast opportunities for engineering entrepreneurs. He pointed to the growing Nigerian automobile industry, where opportunities abound in areas like automation, the local production of automobile parts, and renewable energy solutions for vehicles.
Owoeye also highlighted a potential opportunity in agriculture, citing the issue of herders damaging farmland. He proposed the creation of a device that could emit a high-pitched sound to repel livestock from farmlands—an example of how engineering entrepreneurship could address pressing national challenges.
In conclusion, Owoeye encouraged young engineers to leverage their skills and innovation to become change agents in their communities, with the aim of driving national progress through entrepreneurship.
