President of Dangote, Alhajo Aliko Dangote is planning to build a world class science University in Abuja, the Nigerian Federal Capital at the cost of N200 billion.
Information reaching us indicates that the former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian University Commission (NUC), Julius Okojie, is the chairman of the technical team for the establishment of the university.
Okojie, who led his team to the NUC Executive Secretary, Abubakar Rasheed, said that the proposed university is meant to be technology-driven and asked for the cooperation and support of the NUC towards the realisation of the goal.
The National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, in a bulletin, said the team, accompanied by the Chief Executive Officer of the Dangote Foundation, Zouera Yousouffou, said that the desire of Africa’s richest man to float a unique university of technology with all the necessary infrastructure and best faculty members from across the globe.
Rasheed, who applauded the bold step, promised to offer all the needed assistance for the success of the project.
He advised the team to reconsider its plan of establishing a university of technology to ‘a conventional university running all programmes but with specialty in the area of technology.’
The NUC boss call on the team to consult widely and look at the universities in Nigeria and abroad with a view to creating a unique university that would be different in terms of quality in all its operations.
Yousouffou said the foundation was ready to make the dream a reality with the sum of N200 billion already earmarked for the project.
She said that the land for the project has been purchased and that the preliminary measures have been taken. [myad]
