NUTM’ll position Nigeria, Africa for competitiveness in the 21st century— Enelamah
Board member and former Minister of Trade, Commerce and Investment, Dr Okechukwu Enelamah has given insights on the primary target of the emerging Nigerian University of Technology and Management (NUTM).
Speaking at the First Board Meeting/Fund Raising dinner in aid of the establishment of the university in Lagos, he said “It will provide top-tier education for our children and unlock the many benefits that the ecosystem of a world-class school will produce.
“This university will specialise in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and is positioned to be a landmark centre of excellence that will serve not only Nigeria, but also Africa and beyond,” he said.
Corroborating Enelamah views in his presentation, another NUTM board member, Dr Pramath Sinha (Indian), said the institution would leverage partnerships from young institutions in countries like India and would focus on research and innovation.
According to him, in the first few years of the institution, management will target being among top 50 young universities in the world.
Earlier in his keynote address at the dinner attended by who-is-who in the deep pocket investment circle in Nigeria, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo stressed that considering the development stage of the country, Nigeria needs an institution that will produce cutting edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications for education, business, medicine, security among others.
He said “I think we are at such a moment here today; we gather to give life to an elite school of Science and Technology.
“Indeed, there must be an institution whose sole objective is to inspire innovation, inventions and research that address the most crucial problems of the nation and the world.
“How do we solve peculiar African health challenges such as Sickle cell Anaemia, fibroids and cancers?
“Clearly we need an institution able to provide the atmosphere to invent agricultural inputs that will guarantee the huge yields per acreage or volumes in dairy and livestock to meet the food security needs of a country headed for the third position in population size in a few short years.
“An institution that will produce cutting edge AI applications for education, business, medicine, and security.
“One that can design the educational innovation required to train millions of children in or out of classrooms all across the country and provide the techniques for delivering opportunities in technology on scale.’’
Osinbajoa averred that for Nigeria to top in the global competitive space, it must produce world class economists, managers of commerce in a world increasingly disrupted by technology and innovation.
He argued that even though Nigeria already has several tertiary institutions of science and technology and management sciences all over the country, NUTM comes with a difference.
“NUTM is an Institution intentionally created as a world class centre for the training of the best Nigerian minds and talents,” Vice President Osinbajo added.
