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Niger Govt Explores China Partnership to Advance Green, Tertiary Education
The Niger State Government has explored a proposed academic partnership with reputable Chinese universities aimed at expanding international opportunities for students and academic staff while strengthening capacity in green transition, renewable energy, climate change and other emerging fields.
The initiative was discussed on Thursday in Minna at a meeting involving the Niger State Agency for Green Initiatives (NG-SAGI), Ministry of Tertiary Education, selected tertiary institutions in the state and Sino Dream Multiconcept Services Limited, a consultancy and international education services company.
The meeting was convened following a proposal by Sino Dream to facilitate academic partnerships and exchange programmes between selected tertiary institutions in Niger State and reputable universities in China, including opportunities for scholarships, joint programmes, research collaboration and international academic exposure.
The Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Alhaji Abdullahi Sheshi, welcomed the proposal, noting that partnerships that expand access to quality education, international exposure and skills development could contribute significantly to the state’s human capital development agenda.
Sheshi said the state would continue to support initiatives that create opportunities for students and academic staff while ensuring that proposed programmes align with the educational priorities and development needs of Niger State.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Sirajo Said, stressed the importance of engaging the state’s tertiary institutions in the initiative, saying their participation would help ensure that the proposed collaboration translates into practical academic opportunities for students, lecturers and researchers.
He noted that institutions including Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai (IBBUL), Abdulkadir Kure University, Minna (AKUM), and the Minna Institute of Technology and Innovation (MITI) could play important roles in the proposed partnership.
The Director-General of NG-SAGI, Dr. Habila Daniel Galadima, said the proposed collaboration was particularly relevant to the state’s green development agenda and aligned with the vision of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago to promote partnerships and synergies capable of advancing the state’s green initiatives.
Galadima identified areas of potential academic collaboration to include green transition and sustainable development, carbon finance, renewable energy and energy transition, green economy, climate-smart agriculture, climate change, green finance, carbon and natural accounting, environmental finance, carbon neutrality, green technology and sustainability, and climate economics.
The Chief Executive Officer of Sino Dream Multiconcept Services Limited, Engr. Bala Alyasau Gwandu, said the company was seeking to facilitate sustainable academic links between Niger State institutions and reputable Chinese universities, leveraging its network and experience in international education services.
Gwandu outlined proposed opportunities including a fully funded Belt and Road Initiative PhD programme, joint educational master’s programmes with partial scholarships, and a 2+2 undergraduate exchange programme, under which students could begin their studies in Nigeria before proceeding to partner universities in China.
The proposed collaboration also attracted the interest of Prof. M. E. Baji of IBBUL, Dr. Garba Abdullahi of AKUM and Engr. Dr. M. L. Yerima, Rector of MITI, who participated in the discussions and examined how their respective institutions could engage with the proposed academic exchange, scholarship and capacity-building opportunities.
The stakeholders agreed on the need for further consultations and institutional engagement to examine the proposed programmes, identify suitable areas of collaboration and establish the necessary framework for implementing a sustainable academic partnership between Niger State institutions and their Chinese counterparts.
