By Lawrence Enyoghasu

The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Prof. Abdullahi Bala, has expressed the institution’s desire to partner with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in the area of emerging technologies to accelerate technology development in Nigeria.
The Vice-Chancellor made this known on Tuesday, when he led other Principal Officers of the University on a courtesy visit to the Director-General, NITDA, Mr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, at the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Head Office, Wuye, Abuja.
Speaking at the event, Bala stated that the purpose of the visit was to leverage the cordial relationship established between the University and NITDA to explore collaborative opportunities for productive interactions in research, innovation, and development in emerging technologies.
“This visit will set in motion the discussion on the framework for collaboration between NITDA’s new National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics and our International Centre for Emerging Technologies. Intended areas of collaboration may, among others, include joint research; training, programmes and capacity building; quality assurance; technology development and transfer; policy and regulatory interventions; public-private partnership; tools, systems and standards; and advocacy,” the Vice-Chancellor disclosed.
The VC applauded the NITDA DG for donating a world-class IT hub to the University, adding that the IT hub has been built, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, and commissioned for use.
The NITDA boss emphasized that innovation and commercialization of research prototypes are required in the ecosystem for the needed success to be achieved, even as he expressed optimism that the collaboration with the Federal University of Technology, Minna which is a component of the ecosystem would lead to national development.

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Also at the event, the Coordinator of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), Mr. Yau Garba Isa took the FUTMinna delegation through a PowerPoint presentation on the mandate of the NCAIR and the notable milestones recorded since the inauguration of the Centre by the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami.
Other Management staff of NITDA took turns to applaud the proposed collaboration with FUT, Minna, expressing the hope that it will bridge the gap between the industry and universities in the country.
The Vice-Chancellor and the University delegation later inspected facilities at the NCAIR building.
In attendance from the Federal University of Technology, Minna at the historic event was the DVC Administration, Prof. Emmanuel Emeka Udensi, fnip; the Registrar, Mr. Amos Nmadu Kolo; the Bursar, Mrs. Hadiza Goje, the Chairman, Board of Directors, International Centre for Emerging Technologies (ICET), FUT, Minna, Amb. Olusegun Olugbile and the Executive Director, (ICET) and acting Dean, School of Information and Communication Technology (SICT), Prof. Nicholas Iwokwagh, and the acting Director, Information Technology Service, Prof. Mohammed Adamu. Others include the Deputy Director, Information and Publications Unit, Mrs. Lydia Legbo, the Personal Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor, Mal. Abubakar Aliyu Sadiq and Dr. Oluwaseyi Ojerinde from the Department of Computer Science.