NCC approves tech development centre for ABU

Culled From Vanguard 

The Nigerian Communications Commission has approved the establishment of a Centre of Excellence at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria to strengthen capacity building in the telecommunications sector. According to a statement by the ABU’s Director, Directorate of Public Affairs of the institution, Auwal Umar, obtained by The PUNCH in Kaduna recently, the centre would be required to support the commission’s mandate of producing locally made equipment and materials for the development of the telecommunications sector.

The Vice-Chancellor of ABU, Prof. Kabiru Bala, announced the development at the 526th Regular Meeting of the senate of the institution.

The vice-chancellor noted that the university received the NCC’s approval for the establishment of the centre, which would provide training, upskilling, and reskilling opportunities for students and staff of the academic community

A letter, conveying the approval signed by the commission’s Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, said that the centre was expected to also provide an adequate research atmosphere to encourage research that would produce policies and provide patent solutions for both the telecoms industry and regulators.

Other expected activities at the centre include the development of courses that will bridge the gap in key ICT, namely but not limited to Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, cybersecurity, connectivity technologies, cloud computing, edge computing, renewable energy, and next generation networks.

The Centre is also expected to have strong collaboration with the telecommunication sector to understand the needs of the sector to carry out productive research and capacity-building activities.

The sustainability plan of the centre, according to the letter, must be developed and submitted to the commission to serve as one of the measurements of the Key Performance Indicators.

The terms of the offer for the establishment of the centre shall be rendered in line with professional, academic standards and international best practices.

According to the offer, it is expected that the commission shall contribute to setting the research agenda of the centre, approving their work programme, and setting Key Performance Indicators and targets to be delivered in collaboration with the university authorities and telecommunications companies in the country.