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NREN: How, Why Nigeria Produces Half-Baked Graduates
Flaws in the educational system particularly the unavailability of a national research and education network have been blamed for the mass production of graduates who cannot fit into modern day working environment, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek has leant.
The spiraling decay in the system is also attributed to lack of political will on the part of the government; brain-drain; and poor facilities.
Luckily, information and communications technologies (ICTs) experts, some of who are products of Nigeria higher institutions are ringing hope.
First, they x-rayed why Nigeria remained at the outskirts of the changing information age and concluded that government and indeed the school system are to blame.
They were worried that Nigerian graduates leave institutions of higher learning without even touching a computer, leaving them without requisite skills to integrate into the ICT driven business environment.
The experts who gathered for the third EduNet Africa Conference held in Lagos said the way forward is the Research and Education Network (REN).
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that REN is a special Internet service provider that connects research institutions, libraries, universities and other higher institutions of learning.
This special network facilitates the exchange and sharing of information within connected institutions and makes for great research and also enables other services like e-learning, data management, content development, cloud computing, Internet protocol services, and further technology development.
Funke Opeke, CEO, Main One Cable Company, owners of Main One Cable, said the formation of an NREN in the US served as a basis for the creation of the Internet as we know today.
Elsewhere, developing countries have keyed in and the result is the proliferation of RENs like; Kenya Education Network (KENET), TENET –South Africa, EUN –Egypt, RNU – Tunisia, CERIST – Algeria.
All these RENs are backed by political wills of their various home countries.
Others are: UbuntuNet Alliance – an alliance of several southern and eastern African NRENs and EUMEDConnect project, funded by European Union with Links Mediterranean African countries with Europe through GEANT.
Opeke said with approximately 144 governments’ controlled tertiary institutions in Nigeria, none is ranked among the best in the world.
“Universities around the world are ranked by their research output and publications in world renowned journals and books. In the 1960’s, 1970’s and early 1980’s, Nigerian universities were routinely ranked as some of the best in the world. In 2012, of the top 100 universities in Africa, only three Nigerian institutions listed (all below the top 10)” she said.
Nodding in agreement, Biodun Omoniyi, managing director/ CEO, VDT Communications Limited, said broadband Internet is an extremely powerful and fast communications tool for both consumers and businesses, as well as a source of educational and research material.
To ensure that Nigerian graduates are empowered with requisite skills to contribute to nation building, the experts said government must recognize the importance of broadband in the economy and to the everyday life of citizens.
Tosin Amusa, Datacenter/Virtualization and Cloud Solution Architect at Cisco, proposed the use of Cisco CloudVerse for education which according to him will provide the essential architectures, solutions and integrated systems for customers building clouds: public, private and hybrid.
“These include our highly differentiated products such as our unified computing system, our switching and routing products such as Nexus and CRS/ASR/ISR, our cloud enabling services (WaaS, Ace) which radically simplify the building of the cloud infrastructure,” Amusa said.
Pointing at a success model, Omoniyi of VDT said that his company’s partnership with the Lagos State University (LASU) has resulted in a multi-campus university with three major campuses in Ojo Main campus, Epe campus and Surulere campus.
Opeke said various options are under development to form the nucleus of the Nigerian NREN including the government, international assistance and private sector.
She however said that efforts are too slow and there are no compelling incentives for all institutions to join while recognition on a global scale and interconnection with other NRENs is weak or lacking.
She described Some private initiatives Main One is involved with to include wide networks at American University, Yola and Covenant University, Google University Access Programme, University of Nigeria Nsukka, and University of Benin, Opeke said her company has the capacity and reliability.
Muhammed Rudman, CEO of Internet eXchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) said that all these initiatives can be brought under a single cluster.
Having done the needful, they experts said that the government must now lend its political weight on the educational system to halt the spiraling decay.
News
Senate Committee Partners with Kuda Bank to Tackle Compliance Crisis as Nigeria Loses ₦3.4 Trillion
Over ₦3.4 trillion in financial infractions were uncovered across federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in 2021, according to the Auditor General’s report — a staggering figure that highlights Nigeria’s deepening compliance crisis and the urgent need for stronger oversight in public institutions.
In response, the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance is hosting a high-level workshop to address the root causes of weak oversight and institutional gaps. The two-day event, with the theme ‘Consolidating Strategies for Strengthening Legislative Compliance by MDAs’, will take place on April 15 and 16, 2025 at NAF Suites, Abuja, bringing together lawmakers, regulators, and over two hundred representatives from federal MDAs.
Kuda Microfinance Bank is co-sponsoring the workshop as part of its commitment to supporting responsible innovation, governance, and regulatory alignment in Nigeria’s financial ecosystem.
Rasaq Kadri, Kuda’s Head of Compliance, will deliver a keynote address on the second day of the event, highlighting the efforts of Nigeria’s fintechs to promote inclusion and financial literacy without compromising on compliance best practices.
“When public funds go unaccounted for, it doesn’t just damage government credibility, it affects the entire financial ecosystem, including fintechs,” said Kadri. “We can’t build trust-driven products in a trust-deficient environment. Every time compliance is treated as a box-ticking exercise, we miss the chance to build something that lasts. Fintechs have the tools and perspective to support better governance, but more importantly, we have a responsibility to be part of the solution.”
As a sponsor, Kuda will take the workshop to engage directly with key stakeholders in Nigeria’s regulatory and public service ecosystem.
Plenary sessions will be chaired by the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, and the Honourable Minister of Finance, Wale Edun. Conversations will focus on closing compliance gaps, strengthening institutional transparency, and promoting cross-sector collaboration.
The Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance Workshop is a unique platform for dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and collaborative action.
The Federal Government has inaugurated the new Board of Directors of Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB). The board’s mandate is to lead Nigeria’s digital transformation in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure and services.
It will support Federal Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in a fast-changing landscape.
George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, led the inauguration. He emphasised the government’s commitment to making GBB more agile, responsive, and impactful. The aim is to drive national digital public infrastructure and service delivery. This was according to a statement by Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information and Public Relations.
The board has George Akume as Chairman. Its members include Rabi’a Adamu Waziri from the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Abubakar Abdulqadir Maje from the Joint Stock Association (JSA), Kemi Owonubi from the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), and Margareth Ebute from the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.
Other members are Ibrahim Adeyanju, Olusegun, Olumbe Akinkugbe, Sanni Ibrahim Mohammed, and Adama Pindar from Galaxy Backbone Limited.
In his acceptance speech, Prof. Ibrahim Adepoju Adeyanju, Managing Director of Galaxy Backbone Limited, assured that the board will focus on sustainability. He said it plans to realign its vision and build a strong foundation for achieving strategic goals.
He also noted that within one year, the agency developed its Integrated Digital Transformation Strategy (IDTS). This strategy will run from 2025 to 2028.
Smart Treasure (ST Team) has honored the Deji of Akure, His Royal Highness Ọbá Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, Odundun II, CFR, with a plaque of recognition for his dedication to the welfare of his subjects.
The presentation was made at the monarch’s palace in Akure by a delegation led by Instructor Luke Mbadugha from the Lagos Operations Center.
The visit was part of ongoing discussions on a partnership aimed at boosting agriculture in Akure, Ondo State.
The initiative, spearheaded by the ST Team, seeks to ensure the availability of farmland for agricultural purposes.
Under the arrangement, the ST Team will provide seedlings and manpower, while a significant portion of the proceeds will be distributed to the indigenes at no cost.
The remaining proceeds will support the administrative operations of the ST Team.
In his response, Ọbá Aladetoyinbo announced the allocation of a parcel of land at Ofosu, along the Ondo-Benin Road, for the project.
He described the initiative as a commendable effort to enhance food security for both the local community and the nation.
The monarch also called for a follow-up meeting to facilitate the assessment of the land for the project’s commencement.
Meanwhile, farming activities are set to resume at Aladodo Isikan in Akure South Local Government Area, another site designated for the agricultural project.
The four-acre land will be used to cultivate crops such as yam, cassava, plantain, and maize. A test run of maize planting began on April 9, 2025, with expectations of harvesting in three months.
Kabiesi Akinwunmi Adekanmbi Obey, the monarch of Olulero Okelero, Onitan Isikan, lauded the ST Team for their commitment to ensuring food availability.
He emphasized the importance of agriculture, stating, “Whoever brings food brings life.”
The ST Team, an investment platform dedicated to reducing poverty in Africa by 30% by 2027, has been actively involved in various Corporate Social Responsibility programs, including this agricultural initiative.
The project underscores their mission to create financial freedom and improve the quality of life for individuals across the continent.
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