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The federal government (FG) has said it is in talks with Facebook founder and Chief Executive Officer, Mark Zuckerberg for Facebook to own one of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) University campuses in Nigeria.
The Minister of Communication, Mr. Adebayo Shittu revealed this while delivering a lecture entitled: “Jobs nowhere but jobs everywhere: ICT to the rescue of unemployed youths and graduates” at the Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan.
The ICT University, which will be a multi-campus institution of the present Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr. Shittu said his ministry has engaged several stakeholders at local and international level to adopt one of the ICT University campuses.
“I have engaged with several stakeholders at the international level, Facebook, Motorola, Ericson and am still talking to many more stakeholders,” Shittu said.
“We are encouraging them to come and adopt the respective university campuses as their own,” he added.
The communications minister expressed optimism that the ICT University project is already receiving global boost and endorsement, stressing that some of the stakeholders are already responding.
He said a Vice Chancellor and other senior officials of the University would soon be appointed.
“This unique University would by God’s grace take off effectively in September 2017 and would be run as a public private partnership with the best business and entrepreneurship models,” the Minister said.
TheNewsGuru reports the campuses of the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) are located in Abuja, Lagos, Enugu, Kano, Asaba and Yola.
Shittu said that the ICT University will not only develop world-class local capacity but also reduce the strain on the Naira through the reduction of foreign currency sourced for the training of our citizens outside the country as it is estimated that about N1.5 trillion has been spent on students studying in foreign educational institutions.
The Minister advised Nigerian Universities should take a cue from what is happening in the Nigerian ICT ecosystem value chain and put their various faculties on the path of growth and prosperity by leveraging on ICTs.
“My vision to open the ICT University was predicated upon my consultations and findings that most ICT related graduates lacked industry required skills.
“This coupled with the impressive facilities and infrastructure at the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) amongst others, provided the compulsion for me to harness the resources available to bridge the skills gap,” he said.