By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief)
On the evening of Friday, July 17, 2026, the Coal city of Enugu state will be agog, as renowned robotic expert and global scholar, Professor Bartholomew Nnaji, popularly known as 'Barth', will celebrate his 70th birthday anniversary.
The event which will be marked with a Gala Dinner in honour of the erudite geometric scientist and Nigeria's former Minister of Power, holds at Amadeo Event Centre, Enugu at 5 pm.
Eminent politicians and state officials, business mandarines, industrial captains, international guests, fellow foremost scholars, friends, family, and well-wishers are expected to gather at a well appointed Gala Dinner event to celebrate Professor Nnaji, the chairman of Geometric Power and Aba Power Limited, who is noted for his visionary leadership, innovative prowess, and selfless service to humanity. He is one of the inventors of e-design concept.
On a national plane, Prof. Barth Nnaji has contributed significantly to the development of Nigeria's power sector in several official capacity. He is a renowned Professor of Robotics and power expert.
A respected eminent son of Nkanuland from Umuode community in Nkanu East of Enugu East Senatorial District, Enugu State, South East, Nigeria, Professor Nnaji is an organic intellectual of the first class order who has distinguished himself during his sojourn in the United States of America. He is a well- heeled influencial politician in Igboland and a political kingmaker who once ran for the governorship of Enugu state in 2003.
Professor Bart Nnaji stands as one of Nigeria’s most accomplished engineers and visionary leaders, whose life and work have profoundly shaped the nation’s scientific and energy landscapes. Born with an insatiable curiosity for science and innovation, Professor Nnaji pursued his higher education in the United States, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics at St. John's University, and then proceeded to the Virginia Polytechnic Institute for his Post-graduate Master's Degree, and later earned a Ph.D in Engineering from the State University.
Professor Nnaji later completed a post-doctoral studies in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His brilliance and dedication soon earned him a place among the foremost scholars in his field.
From 1983 to 1996, he served as Professor of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Massachusetts, USA. His academic journey continued at the University of Pittsburgh, where he became the William Kepler Whiteford Professor of Engineering and the Alcoa Foundation Professor of Engineering from 1996 to 2007.
During his time in the academia, Nnaji also made remarkable contributions as the Founding Director of the United States National Science Foundation Center for e-Design, a pioneering initiative in digital engineering.
Returning home to Nigeria with a passion to transform Nigeria’s power sector, Professor Nnaji founded Geometric Power Limited, the first private power company in Nigeria. His entrepreneurial and technical vision made him a trailblazer in independent power generation, inspiring a new era of private sector participation in national infrastructure. He also served as the Founding President of the Independent Power Producers Association of Nigeria (IPPAN), where he championed reforms in the energy sector.
In public service, Professor Nnaji’s leadership has been equally distinguished. He first served as the Federal Minister of Science and Technology in 1993. Years later, he was appointed Special Adviser to the President on Power (2010–2011) and became the pioneer Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Power from June 2010 -2011. His exceptional performance in these roles led to his appointment as Federal Minister of Power (2011–2012), where he developed and implemented Nigeria’s landmark Roadmap for Power Sector Reform.
Under his leadership, Nigeria undertook the historic privatization of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), marking a major step toward modernizing the electricity industry.
Beyond government, Professor Nnaji has continued to shape national development through various leadership roles. He serves as The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Board of Bells University of Technology, Ota since 2018 and currently chairs the Advisory Board of The Nigeria Prize for Science, sponsored by Nigeria LNG.
His outstanding contributions to science, engineering, and public service have earned him numerous prestigious honors. Among them are the World Bank–IMF Africa Group, Distinguished Scientist Award (1998), the Baker Distinguished Research Award, the highest research honor from the International Institute of Industrial Engineers (2001), and the U.S.
Secretary of State’s Distinguished Public Service Award (1995). In 2014, he was further recognized with the West African Power Industry Lifetime Achievement Award.
Professor Nnaji’s national recognition is equally illustrious. He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science and the Nigerian Academy of Engineering, and a three-time national honoree — Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), and recipient of the Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM), the nation’s highest academic and intellectual award.
He has received seven honorary doctorates in Engineering, Science, and Technology from various universities and served as a member of the Governing Board of the Nigerian Merit Board from 2008 to 2014.
In recognition of his cultural heritage and community impact, Professor Nnaji has been awarded many traditional titles, two stand out: he holds traditional titles Onwa Nkanu and Echeribe na Nkanu, both covering the Enugu East Senatorial District of Enugu State, symbols of light, wisdom, and stewardship among his people.
Through his enduring dedication to excellence, innovation, and national development, Professor Barth Nnaji continues to shine as a beacon of inspiration in Nigeria and beyond. A man whose intellect, leadership, and service have illuminated both the world of science and the power sector.
Professor Nnaji is married with children to Mrs Agatha Nnaji (Nee Chukwueke), an accomplished management and corporate affairs professional, with a strong pedigree in corporate strategy and governance. On the exterior, Agatha is notably a reserved, highly refined and well cultured woman of high value. NNL.
