UNN signs agreement with Japanese firms to develop ICT software

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, has signed an agreement with Japanese firms in development of Information and Communications Technology, ICT, software.

The agreement which was signed at the Shinjuku ward, Sankaku Hiroba Event Centre of Sumitomo Corp, Tokyo, Japan, was between Appleach Corporation, Japan, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and Nahfconnects for Africa and the World Inc, Japan.

The Vice Chancellor of UNN, Prof. Charles Igwe, who signed the agreement with the firms, Friday, described the event as a welcome development and an inroad to a robust economic relationship between Africa and Japan.

Prof. Igwe enjoined other world economies to be disposed to knowledge transfer and research collaborations in order to resuscitate the global economy from the ruins of COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am happy to be the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria when these collaboration and agreement is being signed between my Institution and these Japanese companies. It is a welcome development,” the Vice Chancellor said.

In his opening address, the CEO of Nahfconnects for Africa and the world inc., Fintan Nnaji, said that apart from the socio-cultural ties which the agreement would enhance, it would also provide mutually beneficial economic opportunities for Africa and Japan.

He further said that the agreement would foster research, skill acquisitions, innovation and knowledge transfer between the countries which would help in addressing societal problems.

“…Gladly to announce that in your presence here today, the directors of Nahfconnects for Africa and the world Inc, Appleach Co, and the Vice Chancellor, University of Nigeria Nsukka will be signing, for the first time, tripartite agreement brokered by Nahfconnects, for the outsourcing of ICT projects from Japan to Nigeria.

“This exercise will no doubt, pave the way for the African software engineers’, starting with Nigeria.

” Again, it will enhance job creation and promote partnerships in education, research, innovation, skill acquisition, knowledge transfer and human resources development to solve societal problem as well as attain sustainable development goals (SDG),” he said.

The Dean, Faculty of Engineering, UNN, Prof Emenike Ejiogu, who accompanied UNN VC on the trip told newsmen that the agreement would enable the academic and technical manpower in Nigeria to contribute their quota in global economy through ICT.

He equally lauded the VC for providing an enabling environment which fosters innovation and research in the Institution.

Prof. Ejiogu, who is also the Director, Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Power and Energy Development, ACE-SPED, further said that there are other partnership agreements between UNN and Japanese firms in renewal energy production.

“I am very happy to be here with my Vice Chancellor in outsourcing of ICT between some Japanese organisations and University of Nigeria. This event would promote the culture and education of the countries involved.

“I thank my Vice Chancellor who has provided an enabling environment for us to pursue this agreement. He is a very innovative and dynamic leader of the University. One of his landmark achievements is his ability to foster this kind of cooperation. This would not only affect the University positively but the Nigerian economy too.

“We are happy to have signed this landmark agreement so that the academic and technical manpower in Nigeria would come into the global economic contributions in ICT.

“I thank the companies that are involved in this agreement for seeing the need to come into this cooperation that would affect the relationship between Africa and Japan,” Prof Ejiogu said.