A Nigerian institution of higher learning, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has signed partnership agreement with some Japanese companies to develop a safety confirmation software aimed at detecting natural disasters.
This development was confirmed by Charles Igwe, the vice-chancellor of UNN, in an interaction with journalists in Nsukka on Saturday August 5, 2023 upon his arrival from Japan where the agreement were signed.
According to Igwe, the agreement is between Appleach Corporation of Japan, UNN, the Nahfconnects for Africa, and Japan’s World Inc.
He said the agreement also includes knowledge transfers and research collaborations.
Igwe said the agreement was signed at the Shinjuku ward, Sankaku Hiroba Event Centre of Sumitomo Corporation in Tokyo.
The VC, who signed on behalf of UNN, described the agreement as “a breakthrough to robust economic relationship between the University, Africa, and Japan.”
“I urge other leading economies of the world to embrace knowledge transfer and research collaborations to revive the global economy from the ruins of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Igwe said.
Igwe said Fintan Nnaji, the CEO of Nahfconnects for Africa and the World Inc, said the agreement would foster research and skill acquisitions.
He also quoted Nnaji as saying that the agreement would also foster innovation and knowledge transfer between all signatories to the agreement.
Emenike Ejiogu, the director of the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Power and Energy Development (ACE-SPED) at UNN, said that the collaborations would take the university to greater heights.
Ejiogu, who is also the Dean, Faculty of Engineering said by the agreement, said UNN would develop safety confirmation applications that would detect natural disasters such as earthquakes, flooding, and landslide.
He added that accounting software would also be developed among other applications for the Japanese firms.
He said the agreement had accorded the university the opportunity of sending students and staff to do their internship (Industrial Attachment) in Japanese companies.
UNN and the Japanese firms, Ejiogu added, had other partnership agreements in renewal energy production.
