YABATECH Students Gain Hands-On Experience at Lekki Smart City Project

Civil Engineering students from Yaba College of Technology have received practical exposure to real-world engineering practice following a field visit to the Metro Smart City Project site in Lekki, Lagos.

The visit, facilitated by construction firm Metrospeed, took the students to the 97-hectare lagoon-front development, where they observed large-scale construction processes beyond the classroom.

The excursion was organised by Geotechnical Engineering lecturer, Dr Omolola Adetona, who said the initiative aimed to bridge the gap between theory and practice in engineering education.

According to her, the field trip was designed to help students understand the practical realities of civil engineering and better relate classroom knowledge to real-life applications.

“Over the years, we’ve discovered that young engineers are not living up to expectations as compared with sustainability of our profession,” she said.
She added that the visit was intended to demonstrate that civil engineering is a dynamic and evolving discipline that goes beyond lecture notes and classroom teaching.

Speaking during the visit, Metrospeed’s Head of Sales and Marketing, Emike Ntiokiet, emphasised the need for innovation in addressing urban development challenges.

She urged the students to think beyond conventional construction methods, noting that rapid population growth and housing demands require new approaches to infrastructure development.

“At the project site, it’s not going to be enough to just have a structure. What will stand out are your infrastructures, not just the beautiful houses anymore,” she said.

Also speaking, Abdulhameed Salahudeen advocated increased industry exposure for engineering students, recommending that site visits be incorporated into academic programmes at least three times per semester.

The visit highlighted the importance of practical training in preparing students to meet the evolving demands of the engineering profession.