Huawei, Chinese technology company, says it will invest N80 million in the country’s Information and Communication Technology industry for develop skills of young Nigerians. The company made this known during the 2014 Nelson Mandela International Day event in Abuja. The company said that N4 million from the sum would be provided to the Nelson Mandela institution, which would be invested in its affiliate, the African University of Science and Technology in Abuja. The proposed investment in AUST, it was gathered, was for the scholarship of students who had been admitted into the institution. Huawei said that the NMI and the company would mutually agree on the other N76 million scholarship funds and the manner in which they would be administered. The technology company stated that it would also provide the Computer Science students of AUST the access to its Abuja training centre based on proposals to be developed jointly by the university and Huawei engineers. “AUST would invite Huawei engineers and researchers to organise workshops or specific classes for the students,” the Deputy Managing Director of Huawei, Abuja office, Osita Iweze, said. He said, “Bridging digital divide is Huawei’s global strategy. Huawei has set up an ICT scholarship in University of Lagos since 2012.
A 1,000 girls training programme with the Federal Ministry of Communication Technology was launched in 2013 and about 500 girls have finished their training courses. “In 2014, Huawei keeps expanding the investment in young ICT talents education and we are glad to work with AUST to ensure the graduates could be the ICT industry leaders in Nigeria and other sub-Sahara African countries.” Bonaventure Mbida-Essama, chief executive officer of NMI, commended Huawei’s behaviour and noted, “The African University of Science and Technology is the first of the Nelson Mandela institutions. It was established as a centre of excellence in science and technology with a focus on African development.”
Ben Uzor Jr
