9mobile telecom engineering programme produces 31 Master’s, three PhD students

Youth-friendly telecommunications company, 9mobile, has again set the pace with its revolutionary investments in the Nigerian education sector as its 9mobile Telecommunications Engineering Postgraduate Programme (9TEPP), established at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, has produced 31 Master’s and three PhD students.

The telco also restated its commitment to the promotion of quality graduate education in Nigeria by continuing to partner with reputable organisations on trail-blazing and impactful academic programmes.

Acting managing director of 9mobile, Stephane Beuvelet, stated this on Thursday, May 9 while hosting the vice chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Professor Ibrahim Garba, and a team from the institution during a visit to 9mobile corporate headquarters in Lagos.

The team was in Lagos to discuss further collaborations with the telco on taking the 9mobile Telecommunications Engineering Postgraduate Programme (9TEPP) to the next level.

9TEPP, a Master’s degree programme in Ahmadu Bello University is implemented in partnership with Plymouth University, UK and through it, 9mobile is innovatively developing local expertise with regards to telecommunications engineering skills.

Speaking while receiving Professor Garba and four other senior lectures from ABU, Beuvelet disclosed that he was always impressed by the quality of ABU students he came across and that 9mobile was happy with the partnership.

He said: “We are happy to have partnered with your university on the 9mobile Telecommunications Engineering Postgraduate Programme. What gives us satisfaction is not just improving the quality of your students, but also lecturers as well.  In fact, I’m always happy to engage your students during their internships with us; I can remember they came up with some initiatives that blew our minds.”

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Speaking further, the acting MD noted that the telecommunications industry needed specialists and that 9mobile was happy to be involved in the process to develop the required capacity and technical know-how to bridge the skills gap currently existing in the country.

He added that as an innovative brand, 9mobile was not resting on its oars; hence the telco is looking into big data, internet of things, blockchain, cloud technology and VOIP apart from cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.

Responding, Professor Garba thanked 9mobile for supporting the 9TEPP academic programme which he described as “an important field of human endeavour.”

While giving the progress report, he disclosed that 31 Master’s students have completed their study so far while three PhD holders had been produced.

“This is a large resource; a lot of value for the industry,” Garba said.

Head, Department of Communications Engineering, Dr Aliyu Usman, who gave further updates said the programme’s curriculum is regularly reviewed and that an incubation centre, where the products from the course are being fine-tuned before taken to the market, has been created.

Apart from Usman, others on the VC’s entourage were the dean, Faculty of Engineering, Professor Abubakar Ismail; head, Department of Computer Engineering, Professor Muhammed Muazu, and head, Department of Accountancy, Dr Habibu Sabari.

The team from ABU was received by senior management team of 9mobile comprising the executive director, Regulatory and Corporate Affairs, Abdulrahman Ado, company secretary/legal adviser, Ore Olajide; chief human resource officer, Abigail Isokpan; and chief financial officer, Phillips Oki.