17th July, 2014
Daniels Ekugo
One of the leading telecommunications services providers, Airtel Nigeria, has entered into a strategic partnership with Computer Warehouse Group, CWG, to deploy the country’s first research and education network dubbed Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN).
The historic NgREN, an initiative of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is the first research and education network in the whole of West and Central Africa. It employs information and communications technologies (ICT) to drive inter-institutional communication, collaboration, and shared access to knowledge across national and international boundaries.
The unique programme is an outcome of the National Universities Commission’s (NUC) partnership with the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities to establish a foundation that will redefine research and learning in tertiary institutions across the country.
The project also enjoys the support of the World Bank as it seeks to create an elaborate infrastructural backbone to interconnect all research and education institutions in the country and link them with other research and education networks worldwide.
Commenting on it’s role in deploying the NgREN, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, expressed delight at the initiative, saying the programme underscores the company’s objective of repositioning as Nigeria’s number one Enterprise Business and Mobile Internet service provider and in line with its core corporate philosophy of enriching lives. He also noted that Airtel is passionate about the development of the education sector in tandem with the company’s major Corporate Social Responsibility agenda.