BY JULIET EKWENUGO
Kaduna
Professionals across Nigeria’s engineering landscape have been challenged to rethink traditional notions of productivity and performance in the face of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence (AI).
This call was made at the 2nd and 3rd Engr. Augustine Ikebude Okolo Memorial Lecture.
The event, convened by the Automotive & Locomotive Engineers’ Institute (AutoEI) and co-hosted by the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) Kaduna Branch alongside the Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers (NIMechE) Kaduna Chapter, attracted senior engineers, fellows, and industry practitioners from across Kaduna State.
High-profile dignitaries, including the Presidents of NSE and COREN, were also in attendance.
Delivering the keynote lecture titled “Rethinking Productivity, Performance, and Professional Impact in the Age of AI,” Founder of AI Mastery Academy, Gabriel Gambo Nmadu, asserted that the traditional rules of professional success have fundamentally shifted, warning that many Nigerian professionals are yet to recognise this transformation.
He challenged the long-held belief that busyness equates to productivity, introducing what he described as a “New Productivity Equation”: Output equals Skill multiplied by AI Leverage, divided by Time.
According to him, professionals who will thrive in the current era are those who can effectively combine their expertise with AI tools to produce faster and higher-quality outcomes.
Nmadu further introduced the concept of a “personal AI productivity stack,” which he categorised into key functional areas, including writing and communication, research and analysis, visuals and presentations, as well as code and automation.
He emphasised that high performers are no longer distinguished by how hard they work, but by how intelligently they deploy AI as a co-pilot in their daily tasks.
While advocating widespread AI adoption, he reassured participants that critical human capabilities remain indispensable. These include critical thinking, strategic vision, relationship management, creativity, ethical judgment, and effective communication, which he described as the “professional’s moat” in an AI-driven world.
The session featured live demonstrations tailored to conventional engineering practices, offering practical insights into how AI tools can be integrated into everyday professional workflows.
Speaking on career positioning, Nmadu advised Nigerian professionals to deliberately signal AI competence by updating their profiles, creating AI-driven content, and pursuing structured training to build verifiable expertise.
He concluded with a striking message that resonated strongly with the audience: “AI will not replace you. But a professional who uses AI will replace you. The question is not whether to adopt AI, but how fast.”
The lecture forms part of ongoing efforts by engineering bodies to promote continuous learning and ensure practitioners remain competitive in an increasingly technology-driven global economy.
