Shittu seeks HP support for proposed ICT University

Adebayo Shittu, minister of Communications has urged Hewlett Packard (HP) Nigeria to adopt one of the campuses of the proposed ICT University and develop it to a smart campus.The minister made this known in a statement issued by Mr Austin Asoluka of the Press and Public Relations Department of the ministry.

Shittu made the call when the management of HP visited him to seek for areas of collaboration in the development of the university.He commended the company for being at the forefront among international organisations to take the initiative of collaborating with the ministry in the establishment of ICT University of Nigeria.

He described HP as an ‘end to end’ organisation and one of the global leaders in ICT.Shittu challenged the company to prepare to adopt one of the campuses, focused on a specialised area and develop it to a smart campus for business interest.

He said that his vision to open the university was predicated upon his findings that most Nigerian ICT related graduates lacked skills.The minister said that the availability of infrastructure at the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) among others were the reasons for the establishment of the university.

He therefore urged the HP to develop a business model by creating areas of entrepreneurship which would ensure that graduates of the university would become self employed.Shittu advised the management to send in its proposals for consideration and a possible signing of an agreement soon.

Chukwuma Okpaka, managing director of HP Nigeria said that the visit was to intimate the minister of the company’s willingness to collaborate on ICT capacity development. He said that the organisation was ready to venture into content and ICT infrastructure roadmap development.

He promised that there would be special discount to the ministry on purchases of HP products and services. HP is a multinational information technology corporation with the headquarters in Palo Alto, California, U.S.