NEPZA Has Requested That Uniabuja Be Designated As A Special Economic Zone; The University of Abuja has approached the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) for assistance in establishing a special economic zone within the university.
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The university’s vice-chancellor, Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, sought the backing of NEPZA’s CEO, Adesoji Adesugba, on Monday in Abuja.
Mr. Na’Allah stated that establishing a special economic zone within the institution will expedite industrialization, create jobs, propel the university’s economic development, and boost tourism.
“We at the University of Abuja are keen to cooperate with industry, and we have been collaborating with the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI),” said the VC.
“And now we are seeking the help of NEPZA because there is no question that some of our objectives will be given wings to soar if we receive this support.” You might imagine us having an economic free zone on campus.”
“On campus, innovation is every day,” he added, “and we want to release this innovation.” And the best way to accomplish this is to have this free zone collaborate with private enterprise.”
While expressing hope that the special economic zone will be established as soon as feasible, Mr. Na’Allah stated that it will focus on exploring the potential in agriculture, mining, tourism, and Nollywood, among other areas.
“In this country, we have the best place.” We’ve arrived in Nigeria’s capital. We are direct across from the airport, have the best road network, and are only a 25-minute drive from the city center,” he explained. “Everyone would come from anywhere in the world; they just land and arrive.” In Abuja, almost every country is represented. “I call it location destiny.”
Former ACCI president Adetokunbo Kayode stated that the project would aid in the sustainability of the education system.
“Sustainable in the sense of being able to raise their own money and produce employable graduates, as well as being a center for research commercialization.”
Every year, thousands of research projects are conducted on campus, but only a small percentage of them get commercialized,” Mr. Kayode noted. “Research that does not lead to a marketable product is worthless.”
Universities all throughout the world are looking for ways to turn their efforts into value and produce marketable graduates.”
According to Mr Kayode, if NEPZA supports this effort, it will lay the groundwork for addressing Nigeria’s education crisis.
Mr. Adesugba emphasized that the “most crucial thing for us is to ensure that we have the place as a free zone and get it to first class that can be compared to any other in the world,” stating that Uniabuja has the potential to become one of the wealthiest institutions in the world.
“This is due to the scale of the property, which is the size of Victoria Island, being 10 minutes from the airport and 25 minutes from Abuja,” explained the NEPZA CEO. “It possesses mountains, rivers, flora, and solid resources like as gold, but it cannot be used for the development of the institution and Nigeria unless it is unleashed.”
(NAN)
