The Jigawa State Government is striking a strategic partnership with Azman University to expand educational opportunities and promote human capital development in the state.
This was disclosed when the management of Azman University, led by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Fatima Batool Mukhtar, paid a courtesy call on Governor Mallam Umar Namadi at the Government House in Dutse.
This collaboration aims to support innovative learning approaches, sponsor students in specialized programs, and enhance skill development in critical areas such as computing, data science, aviation management, and artificial intelligence.
Delivering her remarks, the Vice-Chancellor expressed gratitude for the state’s firm commitment to education and highlighted the university’s dedication to excellence and innovation, citing initiatives such as online learning services, compulsory e-learning weeks, and the establishment of the Students’ Consultative Forum to involve students in decision-making.
“We have online services that allow students to attend lectures from home, while lecturers can also teach from their homes.” And for the students and staff to be familiar with this, we have set aside one week every semester for compulsory e-learning week.
“This is part of the innovation that we are introducing, apart from other things that we have, which involve our students in decision-making through a forum that we have, the Students’ Consultative Forum, and many other things.”
She further appealed to the state government to partner with the university in certified courses for youth skill development, particularly in computing programs, in collaboration with industry leaders such as Cisco, Huawei, and Oracle Academy.
“Your Excellency, Azman University is already gaining strength in computing programs, and already we have registration with Cisco, Huawei, and Oracle Academy, and in fact, we are certified instructors for Huawei. So, we’d like to appeal to Your Excellency in your community development projects and skills development for youth if you can partner with us for certified courses in computing programs.”
The Vice-Chancellor also commended the Jigawa State Government’s strong commitment to education, referencing its allocation of 32% of the 2024 budget to education and the addition of N3 billion to the Scholarship Board’s budget.
“Your Excellency, sir, it is public knowledge that right from the beginning of your administration, human development is on your agenda. And we are aware that you have allocated 32% of the 2024 budget to education, which, you know, I think is one of the only states that has done that.”
In his response, Governor Namadi expressed his deep appreciation for Azman University’s efforts and praised the Vice-Chancellor’s leadership.
“Azman University is fortunate to have you as the pioneer Vice-Chancellor. Your track record in academic excellence and administration is well known, and we recognize the footprint of excellence you left behind,” he stated.
The governor further acknowledged the relevance of the specialized programs offered by Azman University and affirmed the state government’s willingness to explore sponsorship opportunities for Jigawa State students in fields not currently available at other institutions within the state.
“The innovative courses you have designed are novel and will attract students and scholars to the university. That’s one of the reasons I see great potential in this institution. The courses you mentioned that the university offers are highly attractive and scarce in some regions, particularly in certain parts of this country.
“As a government, we would be delighted to partner with you. We will explore ways to collaborate, support, and sponsor some of our students to study at the university. I assure you that the Jigawa State Government will continue to be a valued partner.”
Hamisu Mohammed Gumel
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Jigawa State
March 12, 2025
