- May 22, 2025
- Posted by: itmanager
- Category: Uncategorized
The inaugural Huawei Education Summit in Nigeria took place on 12th and 13th of May, 2025, at the Continental Hotel, Abuja, bringing together leading academics, industry experts, and key stakeholders to explore the integration of digital solutions in transforming Nigeria’s educational landscape.
Under the theme “Empowering Education through Digital Innovation,” the summit served as a strategic platform for discussing pathways to digital transformation in the education sector.
Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) was represented by Vice-Chancellor, Professor E. Smaranda Olarinde, FCArb, FCAI, and Director of International Collaborations and Linkages, Professor Afolalu Adeniran.
The event opened with remarks from Zhang Mi, Director of the Service Partner Delivery Department at Huawei Nigeria, who emphasized the company’s commitment to positioning Nigeria as a leading digital hub in Africa. Miss Lola, Human Resources Manager at Huawei Nigeria, outlined the organization’s goal of becoming the premier provider of ICT infrastructure in the region.
A major highlight of Day One was the unveiling of the Huawei E-Kit for Education, a digital solution designed to enhance both learning experiences and administrative processes within academic institutions. In her goodwill message, Mrs. Chioma Chimere, Coordinating Managing Director of TD Africa, stressed the vital role of industry-academic partnerships in advancing Nigeria’s digital economy.
Day Two commenced with a keynote address by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, who underscored the need for integrating digital technologies into higher education to improve academic outcomes and institutional efficiency. This was followed by a panel discussion on Competency-Based Curriculum in Nigeria’s Tertiary Education System, featuring prominent academics such as Professor Simpson Adebayo Bamire, Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, and Professor Olumuyiwa Odusanya, Pioneer Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University of Science and Technology.
In a showcase of innovation and strategic vision, Professor Olarinde delivered a compelling presentation on the university’s transformative initiatives aimed at bridging academia and industry. During the panel session, she highlighted ABUAD’s collaboration with the Ekiti State Government to secure a Free Trade Zone-a strategic endeavor intended to drive economic growth, attract investment, and create employment opportunities for graduates.
Professor Olarinde also spotlighted ABUAD’s Industrial Park, which currently hosts 124 large- and medium-scale enterprises, noting that the park serves as a practical training ground for students under the Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), equipping them with industry-relevant skills essential for success in Nigeria’s evolving job market.
Huawei’s broader efforts to bridge the gap between academia and industry were also featured. The Huawei ICT Competition, which has trained over 50,000 students since 2019, was presented as a key initiative for cultivating digital talent including the Talent Circle Job Fare, acknowledged for facilitating employment for more than 4,000 graduates from the Huawei ICT Academy.
The summit’s technical sessions included a presentation by Professor Lawrence Ikechukwu Ezemonye, Vice-Chancellor of Igbinedion University, on the integration of Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education. His talk emphasized AI’s transformative potential in academic research and digital learning infrastructure.
The event concluded with a session on Blended Learning, where panelists advocated for increased investment in digital tools, capacity-building initiatives, and curriculum reform to successfully implement hybrid learning models in Nigerian tertiary institutions.
The Huawei Education Summit 2025 successfully laid a strategic foundation for advancing Nigeria’s educational sector through targeted ICT initiatives, reinforcing Huawei’s commitment to the nation’s digital transformation and academic development.
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