The Nigeria Communications Commission has awarded 13 universities the sum of N172,532,040 to boost information, communications, and technology development.
Professor Danbatta spoke today, April 7, at the award of research grants to winners of the 2021 Telecommunications-based research proposals from academia and the professorial Chair endowments at the University of Port Harcourt, Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto, and Federal University of Technology, Minna. The award ceremony was held at the headquarters of the NCC in Abuja.
Tertiary universities benefiting from the grant include the University of Port Harcourt, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Federal University of Technology Imo State, and the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, among others.
He further disclosed the endowment of N60 million to three professorial chairs in tertiary institutions across the country as a mechanism for entrenching innovations in tertiary institutions.
He said, “The endowment of professorial chairs in universities is one of the commissioner’s initiatives in supporting academia in focused research in ICT, towards the advancement of technologies.”
The objective is to ensure regulatory and technological solutions are capable of improving the communications industry. It is, therefore, our expectation that institutions will dedicate the required human and material resources to the success of the programmes. He added
Meanwhile, the head of the research and development department at NCC, Mrs. Kelechi Nwankwo, described the initiative as part of the commission’s effort to strengthen the telecommunications industry’s contribution to national development.
On the other hand, one of the awardees, speaking on behalf of the tertiary institutions, Lawal Bilbis, the vice-chancellor of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Kano, commended the commission for the initiatives.
He stressed that Nigeria should prioritize building indigenous technological solutions rather than relying on transferred technology.
