The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and North West University have begun discussions on a structured partnership aimed at strengthening digital education, research, innovation and human capital development in the institution.
The engagement, which brought together the university’s management and the leadership of NITDA, focused on leveraging technology to improve teaching and learning, expand research opportunities, foster innovation and equip graduates with skills aligned with the demands of the modern labour market.
Speaking during the engagement, the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, stressed the need for the proposed collaboration to deliver sustainable institutional impact rather than become another one-off intervention.
Inuwa said universities occupy a strategic position in Nigeria’s digital transformation, given their responsibility for producing the skilled workforce, knowledge and research needed to drive technological advancement.
He maintained that the country’s digital development strategy must place greater emphasis on strengthening institutions and building the capacity of the people expected to power the digital economy.
According to him, the persistent gap between university training and industry requirements remains a major challenge to graduate employability, making stronger collaboration between universities, employers and technology companies imperative.
He urged the institution to regularly review its academic curricula to expose students to emerging technologies while equipping them with practical competencies relevant to both the Nigerian and global labour markets.
“We need to create an ecosystem where the university produces the human capital required by government and the private sector, while industry also contributes to the development of relevant skills and research,” Inuwa said.
The NITDA DG disclosed that the agency was promoting digital literacy through the National Digital Literacy Framework and encouraged the university to incorporate digital literacy into its General Studies programme.
He also called for greater emphasis on specialised fields such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing, robotics and other emerging technologies, noting that these areas would play an increasingly important role in the future of work and national development.
Inuwa further encouraged the university to leverage the National Universities Commission’s Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards framework to develop programmes that respond to technological changes and emerging opportunities in the economy.
He cited the collaboration between NITDA, Nasarawa State University and Cisco as an example of how academia-industry partnerships could provide students with practical exposure, professional certifications and academic recognition.
Beyond skills development, the NITDA boss said the proposed partnership with North West University should extend to research and innovation, particularly projects capable of producing solutions to real-world challenges.
He advocated the early involvement of government agencies and private-sector organisations in university research, arguing that such partnerships could help move research outcomes from classrooms and laboratories into practical applications.
He identified technical training, innovation laboratories, research collaboration and partnerships with global technology companies as some of the areas where NITDA could support the university.
Inuwa cautioned against measuring digital development primarily by the volume of computers and other equipment supplied to institutions, stressing that technology infrastructure must be complemented by investments in human capacity and innovation.
He said while equipment would eventually become obsolete, investments in knowledge, skills, research and innovation would continue to generate value.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of North West University, Professor Amina Salihi, said digital transformation and research had been placed at the centre of her administration’s development agenda.
Salihi said the university’s 14-point agenda was designed to reposition the institution as a competitive 21st-century university, stressing that technology was indispensable to improving its academic standards, global visibility and ranking.
She noted that the institution, established in 2012, had undergone significant expansion, growing from four faculties, one campus and about 1,000 students to 10 faculties and approximately 30,000 students.
According to her, the expansion had also extended to infrastructure, academic programmes and support facilities, including a teaching hospital for its medical programme.
The Vice-Chancellor, who assumed office in December 2025, said her administration had conducted an assessment of the university’s needs, with infrastructure, power and digital technology emerging as key priorities.
She disclosed that construction of a Computer-Based Testing (CBT) centre was underway through the intervention of a philanthropist who had committed to providing the facility.
Salihi appealed to NITDA to support the centre with the necessary IT equipment, explaining that the facility could eventually become an accredited centre for recruitment examinations and professional tests.
She also announced plans to establish an Open and Distance Learning Centre, noting that the initiative would require reliable digital infrastructure and technical support.
The Vice-Chancellor further appealed for additional digital devices, including laptops, to improve academic and administrative operations across the institution.
Salihi said the university had received interventions from the state government, TETFund, the Energy Commission and private philanthropists, particularly in student accommodation and renewable energy.
She disclosed that a two-megawatt solarisation project was being implemented at the main campus, while another solar power project was underway at the city campus.
The Vice-Chancellor expressed optimism that the engagement with NITDA would culminate in a structured and sustainable partnership capable of addressing the university’s technology needs while creating new opportunities for research, innovation and digital skills development.
The proposed collaboration is expected to provide a framework for joint initiatives covering digital infrastructure, computer-based testing, open and distance learning, emerging technologies, research, innovation and human capital development.
Both institutions are expected to continue discussions towards defining specific areas of cooperation and establishing a sustainable partnership that will contribute to strengthening digital education, research and innovation within Nigeria’s university system.
