The Group President of the Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, has donated N15 billion to the Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil, Kano State.
Dangote made the donation at the 5th convocation ceremony of the university, according to a statement shared with Sunday PUNCH.
In his speech at the ceremony, he said the university must be repositioned to lead the race of producing cutting edge research and highly skilled manpower that meets the requirements of market demands, industries and real problem solvers in the Nigerian society.
Dangote, who was reappointed the Chancellor of the university, also launched a five-year development plan for the institution.
‘Over the next five years, we will commit the sum of N15 billion to the following projects: the design and construction of additional student hostels; the design and construction of a world class engineering laboratory; the design and construction of a world class multipurpose computer laboratory – open to all students of the institution which will also be equipped with 24-hour internet access to support academic research and the installation of a mini-solar plant to support access to power on campus.
‘We also undertake to design and construct a befitting Senate building that will house the administration of this institution. Finally, we will also reserve post-NYSC employment slots for the best performing graduates in Engineering and other related courses that form part of our areas of interest at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical Plant and Dangote Cement Plants’, Dangote said.
He added that the funding for such an institution places a significant burden on the government, which is why, through the Aliko Dangote Foundation, it was able to offset the University’s electricity bill to ease the strain on their finances.
In his address, Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf commended Dangote for contributing financially and morally towards the development of the University, adding that, ‘all of us will continue to remember you as a visionary and African illustrious industrialist’.
The University’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Musa Tukur Yakasa said 18,000 students were being celebrated during the convocation ceremony, having graduated from the university in the last 10 years to date.
He disclosed that the university recorded significant strides in its academic journey to greater heights, including programme accreditation and a mathematical digital model designed by a university product, Mahmoud Mubarak, for measuring deforestation density.
Business mogul, Chief Arthur Eze, founder of Max Air and billionaire Alhaji Dahiru Barau Mangal, Senior Advocate Ahmad Adeniyi Raji, and oil magnate and founder of Amasco Oil Al-Mustapha Ado bagged honorary doctorate degrees.
