Nigeria cannot afford to miss Fourth Industrial Revolution — Sowore

Abdullateef Fowewe

AAC 2027 presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore has warned that Nigeria missed the first three industrial revolutions and must seize the Fourth or risk deeper dependency on imported technologies.

In a statement on Sunday, Sowore traced technological progress from steam-powered mechanization and mass production to digital automation, arguing decades of poor leadership, corruption, and underinvestment in education and innovation left Nigeria behind.

He enjoined a pivot toward science, technology, and human capital to harness opportunities in artificial intelligence, robotics, blockchain, biotechnology and quantum computing.

He wrote, “The world has undergone four distinct industrial revolutions that have transformed economies, societies, and the way human beings live and work. The First Industrial Revolution introduced mechanization powered by water and steam. The Second ushered in mass production driven by electricity.

“The Third brought automation through digital technology. Today, the Fourth Industrial Revolution is redefining the future through artificial intelligence, robotics, blockchain, biotechnology, quantum computing, and cyber-physical systems.

“Nigeria missed the opportunities presented by the first three industrial revolutions, largely due to decades of poor leadership, poor governance, and a failure to invest in innovation, education, and technological development. As a result, our nation has remained largely dependent on consuming technologies developed elsewhere instead of creating them.

“We cannot afford to repeat that mistake. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is the greatest technological transformation in human history, and Nigeria must seize this opportunity to leap forward rather than fall further behind. Achieving this requires replacing incompetence, corruption, and recycled politics with visionary leadership that prioritizes science, technology, innovation, and human capital development.

“Nigeria cannot afford to miss this revolution. Our future depends on embracing it.”

Sowore called for policy shifts, investment in STEM education, stronger support for research and startups, and anti-corruption measures to ensure Nigeria benefits from emerging 4IR industries.