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UNN Strengthens Economic Transformation Through Science Park
The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) says it is deepening economic transformation in West Africa through its newly established Lion Science Park (LSP).
Prof. Benjamin Ozumba, UNN Vice Chancellor, was quoted as making the remark in a statement on Wednesday by the Manager of the Lion Science Park, Ms Chinwe Okoli at the inaugural meeting of the Board of the Park in Nsukka, Enugu State.
According to Ozumba, the Science Park is designed as an innovation hub, an economic transformation initiative and a sustainable development project in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 17).
He said that the major mandate of the institute and other higher institutions and research resource centers was to provide the knowledge backbone for industry, commerce and society.
He said that the mandate had become more urgent, especially in view of the current global emphasis on the need for a progressive paradigm shift to innovation-driven and knowledge-based economy.
“The LSP is expected to encourage regional, national and international scientific Research and Development (R&D) initiatives by supporting alliance and interaction amongst academia, industry and government.
“It is expected to create strategic synergies with private, public and institutional research institutes/centers seeking to optimise their research activities by collaborating with researchers, research groups and research institutes in Nsukka, Enugu and Ituku-Ozalla campuses.
“It is in pursuit of the mandate that UNN established the first university-based Science Park in Nigeria (the Lion Science Park) with advisory support from Ideon Science and Lunda Vision, both in Sweden.
“Lion Science Park, the first university-based science park in Nigeria held its maiden board meeting on July 17 at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka campus.
“The board membership is predicated on the triple helix concept and thus has representatives from the public sector, private sector and the academia.
“The park will provide graduates with direct and unhindered access to specialised innovative infrastructure of the highest standard, exposing them to an outstanding training opportunity for applied scientific innovation and entrepreneurial skills,“ he said.
Ozumba said a lot had happened in the innovation space in the university within a year. He said that the first fully-fledged university-based technology incubator, Roar Nigeria, was up and running, which was already incubating startups.
He said that the Lion Laptop Assembly Plant (Lion Technologies) was producing affordable and high spec laptops, adding that the Park already had tenant companies.
“Over 215 research groups in the university are ready to deliver impactful research solutions to companies.
“We are building a world class science park; we currently have a temporary building and planning to develop the 50 hectares of land for the permanent site of the Lion Science Park,” he added.
Prof. Kenneth Ofokansi, the Director, International Collaborations for the University said: “the first international workshop on Science Park and innovation was held in Feb. 20 to Feb. 23 at the UNN with the theme: “Science Park and Innovation Ecosystem for National Development.“
He said the workshop recorded an impressive international participation including the Minister for Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu.
“The immediate result from the conference was the delegation of the 10 Directors-General of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology to UNN in March on a fact-finding mission and to explore areas of possible collaboration.
“To ensure synergy and sustainability, the Lion Science Park Board membership comprises top representatives of the government’s ministry of science and technology, top industry players from the private sector and seasoned professors from the academia,“ he said.
Dr Emeka Okwuosa, a board member, who was the first Vice Chairman of the board, said that such development was needed for high quality research output providing home-grown solutions to the problems of industries and businesses in Nigeria.
“First, it was the West Africa’s first university-embedded technology hub and now it’s Africa’s first university-led science park at UNN.
“This landmark is laudable and shows that Lion Science Park at UNN is truly the home for innovation” he said.
Dr Sven-Thore Holm, the founder of Ideon Science Park, Sweden, a board member said being in the innovation business for 35 years in Sweden, the speed of what was happening now with Lion Science Park was impressive.
“It was a successful meeting with very high expectations for the Science, Technology and Innovation System in Nigeria. What I saw at Roar Nigeria Incubator only reminds me of what I saw in Shanghai recently,” he said.
Mr Anpe Fut, a board member representing the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, said Roar Nigeria Technology Incubator already had 12 startups working on great ideas across sectors.
He said that a lot more applications for incubation programme were being received daily. “It should be pointed out that Lion Science Park is already globally recognised as a member of the International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation.
“Also with tenant companies such as Huawei Authorised Information and Network Academy (HAINA) and MiraiDenchi.
“HAINA trains certified candidates on Huawei Technologies and so far, a number of students and staff of the university are already certified through this programme,“ he said.
CommunicationsWeek Media Limited, a certified global ICT company with over two million online subscribers, is delighted and proud to announce Prof. Yakub Aliyu, as the keynote speaker at Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership Distinguished Lecture series 2024.
Aliyu, will be speaking on the theme: Artificial Intelligence (AI): The Good, The Complex and The Anticipated”, this leans heavily on the fact that AI changing our lives– we just need to know where to look today.
This year’s rebranded Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership Distinguished Lecture/Awards Series is slated for Saturday, May 25, 2024 at the Four Points by Sheraton, Lagos.
The event is the most prestigious annual event that brings together captains of industry in both technology and financial worlds.
According to Ken Nwogbo, CEO, Communication Week Media Ltd, organisers of the ABoICT Distinguished Lecture/Awards Series, “the choice of Prof. Yakub Aliyu is deliberate because of his exceptional career in Artificial Intelligence (AI)”.
He added that, AI is considered to have the potential to instigate a fourth industrial revolution,1 and is dramatically changing people’s patterns of interaction and economic activities.
“The traditional factors of production and physical capital and labour may no longer promote substantial economic growth. It is generally believed that AI will be one of the most important factors determining future economic growth,” he said.
A professor of microelectronics and a scholar-practitioner in artificial intelligence and deep machine learning for industrial applications and high-speed application processors. His research interests include Multimodal AI models for high-efficiency industrial robot applications and Human AI interactions.
He also has adjunct academic professorships at five African, USA, and UK universities. Holds a BS in Applied Physics Electronics from Karlsruhe and A Bello Universities in Germany and Nigeria, an MBA in International Business Management from the University of London, an MSEE (Master of Engineering, Electronics), and a Ph.D. in Electronics Engineering from the University of Wales.
Prof. Aliyu is the global quality director for Bourns Inc., Riverside, California, USA, an electronics system, and components manufacturer. I oversee quality functions in 21 factories worldwide.
He has also held quality and operational management leadership positions at National Semiconductors, Bell Labs-Lucent Technology, Texas Instrument, Global Foundries, and Roper Technologies USA.
Authored and coauthored over 30 Advanced Technology United States-issued patents in High-Speed Application Processors and Contributed to over 40 international impact Journals, chapters, and conferences; FASI, SMIEEE USA, MIEE UK, M. Inst pf Physics Chartered Phys and C Eng UK.
Past lecturers included Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, then executive vice chairman, Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC); Engr. Yomi Bolarinwa, former Director-General of National Broadcasting Commission (NBC); Dr. Jean Luc Fort, CEO at OR System France and a specialist in Counterparty Risk; and Professor Chris Nwagboso, Chairman, Knowledge Factory International, United Kingdom.
Others are: Uche Orji, managing director/chief executive officer, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA); Biodu Omoniyi, Managing Director/CEO, VDT Communications; Ayotunde Coker, Managing Director, Rack Centre Limited; Peter Adedayo Arogundade, managing director and chief executive officer, Sidmach Technologies Nigeria Limited; Dr. Adewale Obadare, chief visionary officer, Digital Encode and John Obaro, CEO and founder of Systemspecs; Prof. Isa Pantanmi, minister of Communications and Digital Economy; Dr. Seyi Akindeind, co-founder, Digital Encode; Dr Krishnan Ranganath, Regional Director, Africa Data Centres.
Legit.ng recently joined forces with the Shade of Life Foundation to become a voice of autism, and drive advocacy for improved media support during Autism Awareness Month.
Participants at the event
Conversations around media support exploration was led by Joseph Omotayo, head of Department for Human Interest Stories at Legit.ng, and Dr. Eziafakaku Nwokolo, founder and CEO of the Shade of Life Foundation,
This partnership is a response to the concerns raised by organizations like the Shade of Life Foundation about the level of support received from the media in discussing autism as a disability.
While other disabilities may receive attention, autism, with its critical developmental implications often lacks adequate representation in mainstream media.
Recognizing the importance of addressing these concerns, Legit.ng took proactive steps by integrating itself into the essence of autism awareness.
It facilitated a one-hour workshop with Dr. Nwokolo, the founder of the foundation, to deepen our understanding of autism, its various spectrums, and the language boundaries associated with it.
Other steps we took in advocating autism awareness in the media, can be seen in our attached press release.
Legit.ng believes that by amplifying the voices of autism and advocating for better media representation, we can contribute to creating a more inclusive and accepting society for all.
While 85 per cent of Nigeria is in darkness, Tanzania, an African country has shut down five hydroelectric stations in a bid to reduce excess electricity in the national grid.
Kassim Majaliwa, prime minister, Tanzania, has said the main plant, Mwalimu Nyerere Hydroelectric Station, alone generated enough electricity to power major cities, including Dar es Salaam, the country’s commercial hub.
It is the first time Tanzania, which suffers chronic power shortages, has closed hydroelectric stations due to excess production.
“We have turned off all these stations because the demand is low and the electricity production is too much, we have no allocation now,” an official from state-run power company, Tanesco, said.
The 2,115MW Julius Nyerere Hydropower Dam is said to be almost filled with water following heavy rains that started early this year.
Meanwhile, while the country has an installed capacity of 1,938MW and the grid installed capacity of 1,899MW, Nigeria which has an installed capacity of 13,000MW is struggling to electrify 85 per cent of its electricity consumers.
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