Segun Atanda/
In a significant boost to educational infrastructure in Bauchi State, the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and its joint venture partners, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), TotalEnergies, and Nigeria Agip Oil Company, inaugurated a cutting-edge ICT centre at Sa’adu Zungur University (formerly Bauchi State University), Gadau, today.
The newly established centre, fully funded by the SPDC-operated joint venture, features an advanced collaborative workspace designed to facilitate group work and brainstorming among students.
At the inauguration ceremony, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, represented by Hayatuddeen Babamaji, Director of ICT in the state, emphasized the centre’s potential to complement government efforts in enhancing education and promoting digital transformation in the region.
SPDC Managing Director and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Osagie Okunbor, represented by Igo Weli, Director SPDC and Country Head Corporate Relations, said, “The journey to establish this facility was driven by a vision to enhance critical educational infrastructure, support access to high-demand IT skills, and inspire the growth of the IT ecosystem in Bauchi State and Northeast Nigeria.”
Bala Wunti, Chief Upstream Investment Officer of NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services, highlighted the project as a testament to the positive impact of the oil and gas industry on the nation, calling for continued collaboration to achieve more milestones.
Professor Fatima Tahir, Vice Chancellor of Sa’adu Zungur University, noted that the centre would become a hub for innovation, significantly improving teaching and learning at the institution. The Emir of Bauchi and Chancellor of the university, Dr. Rilwanu Adamu, expressed gratitude to the SPDC-operated JV for this initiative in his goodwill message.
Equipped with its own power and water supply, the ICT centre offers an uninterrupted learning environment, allowing students and lecturers to connect globally in real-time. The project also emphasized sustainable development by upskilling local contractors, who contributed significantly to the construction process, and training 75 staff and students in data science, embedded systems, robotics, and hardware engineering to enhance local capacity. Additionally, a tree planting club was established, which has already planted around 1,000 fruit-bearing trees.
This ICT centre is one of several initiatives by the joint venture in Northeast Nigeria.
Earlier this year, they inaugurated a primary health care centre and completed livelihood-strengthening programs to support displaced families in Yobe and Borno states. The joint venture has consistently supported the region through various educational, health, shelter, and Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) projects.
The joint venture’s commitment to education is evident in its numerous contributions, including awarding hundreds of secondary school and university scholarships, donating physical infrastructure to schools, and providing industry experience through sabbatical and internship opportunities for students and lecturers from Nigerian universities.
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