The agreement, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), sets the stage for the development and operation of the institute, combining technology infrastructure, academic programmes, and innovation-driven research.

The partnership follows months of consultations between both parties, culminating in a comprehensive framework designed to position ESUT as a hub for AI education, research, and talent development.

Prof. Aloysius-Michael Okolie, the ESUT vice-chancellor, expressed confidence in the agreement, describing the university’s position in the Memorandum as its finalised position for the partnership.

According to Dr. Egwuagu Onyekachi, the director of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), ESUT,

“The decision to locate the South-East Centre of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Cyber Security at ESUT followed a rigorous merit-based assessment process conducted by TETFund.”

As part of its national initiative to establish Centres of Excellence focused on Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Coding, Machine Learning, and Cyber Security across the country’s six geopolitical zones, TETFund designated one institution in each zone to host the programme.

ESUT was selected to serve as the South-East Centre.

The university’s selection was influenced by several factors, including its status as one of Nigeria’s first-generation state-owned universities and the country’s first University of Science and Technology.

The institution’s existing technical capacity, infrastructure, and readiness to commence operations also contributed significantly to its emergence as the preferred host.

A committee established by TETFund for the assessment of prospective host institutions visited ESUT twice in 2025 to evaluate its facilities and technical capabilities.

The committee inspected the university’s infrastructure, including the Digital Bridge Institute, which is designated to house the Centre of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Cyber Security Sciences.

Following its assessments, the committee submitted a favourable report, leading to ESUT’s selection as the host institution for the South-East zone.”

Other institutions selected through the same merit-based process include Gombe State University for the North-East, Federal University Lokoja for the North-Central zone, the Nigerian Defence Academy for the North-West, the University of Calabar for the South-South, and Lagos State University for the South-West.

According to Chekwube Eneje, the director of Innovation at Vertex Labs,

“At the planned new campus, Artificial Intelligence will be integrated and applied in the teaching and learning of all courses taught at the institute, including Health, Law, Business, Engineering, Medicine, Journalism, and others.”

Earlier, as part of its engagements in Qatar, the ESUT delegation undertook strategic visits to Qatar University and the Meeza Data Centre to explore partnerships that will support the university’s technological transformation agenda and strengthen its capacity for research, innovation, and digital infrastructure development.

At Qatar University, one of the region’s leading institutions for research, innovation, and higher education, the delegation held discussions on potential areas of collaboration, particularly in relation to ESUT’s vision of establishing a world-class Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Innovation.

The Vice President for Research and Innovation at Qatar University, Dr. Ayman Arbid, expressed the institution’s willingness to collaborate and support the initiative.

He noted that Qatar University is also expanding its AI programmes and emphasised that one of the key challenges in the development of artificial intelligence globally is the availability of highly skilled talent.

Speaking during the meeting, Professor Aloysius Okolie, the vice-chancellor of ESUT, stated that the university’s objective is to improve graduate employability by equipping students with adaptable, future-ready skills aligned with emerging global technological trends.

Following the meeting at Qatar University, the delegation proceeded to the Meeza Data Centre, a leading technology partner and managed services provider supporting critical digital infrastructure across Qatar.

The delegation was received by Mohammed Meraj Ali, the senior data centre manager, who led a guided tour of the facility and showcased the advanced infrastructure that supports modern digital ecosystems, enterprise technology solutions, and innovation-driven institutions.

During the visit, officials of Meeza Group pledged support for the future development of ESUT’s proposed data centre through consultancy services, design, construction, rack and hardware supply, and data lifecycle management solutions.

The company reaffirmed its commitment to building a long-term and sustainable partnership with the university.

Professor Okolie commended the Government of Enugu State for its commitment to innovation, infrastructure development, and economic transformation, noting that the state’s development agenda is creating an enabling environment for investment, technology adoption, and knowledge-driven growth.

Meeza officials also highlighted the company’s successful partnership model with Qatar Foundation, explaining that its approach is founded on long-term collaboration, capacity building, and sustainable institutional development rather than short-term engagements.

Speaking on the importance of digital infrastructure, Meeza’s Sales Director, Alaa Ayad, emphasised the sovereignty, security, and operational control institutions gain from owning dedicated data centres rather than relying exclusively on public cloud platforms.

He further noted that the company works with leading international technology partners and remains open to strategic collaborations that advance innovation and digital transformation.

The engagements with Qatar University and Meeza represent important milestones in ESUT’s ambition to develop a world-class ecosystem for artificial intelligence, innovation, advanced computing, and digital research.

The university delegation is expected to consolidate the outcomes of the visit and present recommendations that will support the advancement of technology-driven education, cutting-edge research, and digital infrastructure development in Enugu State upon its return to Nigeria.

The signing of the MoU with Vertex Labs and the positive engagements held with notable institutions in Qatar mark a major step forward in ESUT’s vision of becoming a leading centre of excellence in artificial intelligence, advanced computing, innovation, and technology-driven learning in Nigeria.

The approval followed a rigorous accreditation exercise conducted by a high-powered MDCN team, which assessed facilities, manpower, and training standards at the ESUT College of Medicine and its affiliated teaching hospitals.

Announcing the development in Enugu this week, Dr. Nnaemeka Nwakanma, the deputy registrar of the Council, said the decision was based strictly on verifiable improvements in infrastructure, personnel, and clinical training capacity, stressing that the Council does not accredit projections but tangible performance.

“We do not accredit intentions or dreams. We accredit what we see on ground as at the time of assessment,” he said, underscoring the Council’s zero tolerance for breaches of approved quotas.

Dr. Nwakanma, who led the inspection team, expressed satisfaction with the scale of ongoing transformation at the university’s teaching hospital, describing it as a massive construction hub driven by purposeful leadership.

“What may appear chaotic to the uninitiated is in fact a coordinated project site, with multiple developments progressing simultaneously across different sections of the hospital. It speaks volumes about leadership that prioritises results over rhetoric,” he said.

He particularly commended the construction of a new Accident and Emergency Unit, noting that the Council had only recommended an expansion during its previous visit.

“The last time we came here, we complained about the Accident and Emergency Unit. All we said was for you to expand. We didn’t know that you were going to build a brand new Accident and Emergency Unit,” he added.

The MDCN team also inspected the upgraded Colliery Hospital and the 300-bed International Hospital, a major new medical facility in Enugu, which Nwakanma said could significantly contribute to reversing outbound medical tourism.

“We were not only stunned but we were in awe of the magnificence of the structure you are putting up here in the city of Enugu. Nigeria needs to know. Apart from the African Centre of Medical Excellence in Abuja, this hospital gives us hope for the possibility of actually reversing medical tourism in Nigeria,” he stated.

Dr Nwakanma reiterated that the quota system reflects the capacity of each institution’s facilities and teaching staff, warning that any attempt to exceed approved limits would attract sanctions.

“The number we approve is what your facilities and manpower can sustain. You can admit fewer, but never exceed it. The integrity of Nigeria’s medical training depends on strict adherence to these standards,” he stressed.

Reacting, the Vice Chancellor of ESUT, Prof Aloysius-Michaels Okolie, welcomed the approval and assured the Council that the university would address identified gaps without delay.

“We will not produce half-baked medical personnel. The issues you raised will be addressed urgently. These are things that can be fixed within months,” he said, adding that the institution remained committed to upholding global best practices in medical education.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Yomi Jaye, reaffirmed the state government’s readiness to sustain investments in the sector.

“Point out any deficiencies, and we will fix them in no distant time. The commitment of Governor Peter Mbah is total, and the team on ground is equally determined to deliver,” he said.

Dr Jaye also acknowledged the collaboration between the College leadership, including the Provost, Prof. Uchenna Ekwochi, the Chief Medical Director of the ESUT Teaching Hospital, Prof. Bethrand Ugwu, and other key officials, noting that the conducive working environment contributed significantly to the successful outcome.

This is coming after nearly two decades of waiting by successive sets of the school.

NMCN also approved indexing of nursing students at the Colleges of Nursing and the former School of Nursing, Awgu, recently also upgraded to College of Nursing.

The approvals were announced by Dr. Faruk Umar Abubakar, the Registrar of the Council, when he led a delegation of the council’s accreditation team on a courtesy visit to Governor Peter Mbah at the Government House, Enugu.

Abubakar commended the Mbah administration for providing the requisite infrastructure at the Colleges of Nursing, Park Lane and Awgu to create a conducive envi­ronment for teaching and learning, while also paying attention to the welfare of health workers.

He also announced the council’s approval for the immediate recruit­ment of 50 interns to work at Park Lane, noting that with the approval of the in­ternship programme, more graduate nurses would now be trained at the ESUT Uni­versity Teaching Hospital to boost the state’s nursing manpower.

“When you train nurses in Nigeria, they are special­ists in Midwifery, General Nursing and Public Health and the internship programme will strengthen the health sector,” he stated.

He equally lauded Gov­ernor Mbah for approving the implementation of the Consolidated Health Sala­ry Structure (CONHESS), which is the latest salary structure for nurses, not­ing that with such show of commitment, the state would be able to retain a lot of its nursing manpower as they qualify.

“Good salaries, provi­sion of infrastructure, pro­vision of human resourc­es, employment of quality nurses, will help reduce migration of nurses. So, I am very optimistic that with what you are doing in the state’s health sector, the environment will be so con­ducive and ‘japa syndrome’ will drastically reduce,” he added.

While thanking the NMCN for the approvals, Governor Mbah, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, regretted the stagnation of the state’s nursing institutions for the past 19 years, noting, however, that his administration decided to wade in strongly through massive investment in the health and nursing space.

“We were clear from the outset that something con­sequential had to happen in the nursing space in terms of infrastructure, manpower training, remuneration, and motivation. We cannot possibly grow our econo­my from $4.4 billion to $30 billion if we do not get the health sector right.

“Let me also assure you that the gaps you have fur­ther identified will be given utmost attention. We will not play around with your recommendations,” he assured. ­

Meanwhile, throwing more light on the develop­ment, Dr. Yomi Jaye, the Special adviser to the Governor on Health Matters, described the approvals as “a monumental breakthrough.

“You know this strug­gle started immediately the governor came into office and found out that there were lots of accreditation gaps in the School of Nursing, among other healthcare institutions in the state.

“So, for 19 whole years that the NMCN had first sited the department of nursing, our student nurses from ESUT were not indexed and they have not been writing professional examinations to qualify as nurses. One breakthrough now is the fact that as the registrar said right here, all of them are going to be indexed. All backlogs swill be cleared so that by next year, there won’t be any backlog. This is what had been standing for 19 years. So our young Ndi Enugu it’s exam time. Gov Peter Mbah has cleared the way.”

“With this breakthrough also, Park Lane is now up­graded as a College of Nursing, Awgu is now accredited as a College of Nursing.

“We had 50 and we can now have 100. If we are able to do two batches, which they have agreed to do in the three schools, we will have 600 nurses. The gover­nor wants to be producing 3,000 nurses every year and he is committed to making sure that the nursing and other institutions are up­graded to world class standard,” Dr Jaye said.

Mbah stressed his administration’s determination to ensure that the poorest child in the remotest parts of Enugu State receives world-class education using tools of the 21st century.

The governor made the declarations in his keynote address at the 19th convocation of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, Agbani, on Saturday, where 9,017 graduants received various first and higher degrees.

Mbah, who is also a Visitor to the university, said the most radical changes in education under his administration would take place in the area of basic education.

“In my view, education is probably our greatest weapon in our war against poverty in the medium to long run.

“It is for this reason that education is at the core of the strategy, which we envisage will see us boost our GDP from the current levels of about $4.4 billion to at least $30 billion by the end of 2031.

“This is why we have designed and are implementing a most revolutionary strategy to revamp the current educational system. This revamp will be extensive and exhaustive, ranging from the basic schools through secondary to tertiary institutions like ESUT.

“There will be changes not only in the curricula, but also in the models for delivering knowledge in our educational institutions. The most radical change will take place in our basic schools where our children spend the first nine years schooling.

“Therefore, in 2024, we will be spending close to 30 per cent of our state budget on education, well above the recommended international benchmark”, the governor said.

The governor said his administration had completed the construction of one smart school, awarded contract for the construction of another nine, while 250 more would be constructed in less than 14 months to cover the entire 260 wards, adding that teachers for the pilot model school were already undergoing training by global experts.

“These smart schools will each be equipped with internet access, solar power, a centre for robotics and artificial intelligence, a modern ICT centre, two well-equipped laboratories for primary school and junior secondary school, a studio for creative production, 25 inclusive classrooms, with interactive digital whiteboard, android tablets for pupils’ use, among others”, he explained.

He commended the ESUT management for some steps already being taken to align with government’s vision for tertiary education in the state.

Speaking, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Alloysius-Michaels Okolie, commended Mbah for the laudable vision for education in the state and great support to ESUT since the governor’s assumption of office. He said the ESUT management was repositioning the institution in line with the governor’s educational vision and policies.

The convocation also saw the conferment of honorary doctorate degrees on some distinguished Nigerians, including the Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, Osagie Okunbor, Group Managing Director of Afrivest West Africa Ltd, Ike Chioke, the foremost estate developer, Surv Ugochukwu Chime, and recognitions and cash awards to outstanding student-led by the best graduating student, Miss Barbara Ijeoma Ikeonyia.