FG calls for strategic business partnerships for sustainable higher education in Africa

By Chimezie Godfrey

The Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has called for strategic business partnership for sustainable higher education in Africa. 

Osinbajo who was represented by the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, made this call while delivering a speech at the 20th Convocation Ceremony of Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State.

The Vice President who commended the founders of the Institution said Igbinedion University laid the foundation as the First Private University in Nigeria 23 years ago. 

“Your audacity opened up new opportunities for millions of Nigerians. As a result, we currently have 79 Private Universities and some 140 Privately owned Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria today. Government alone cannot solve our educational challenges. We have to rethink our model to make university education more qualitative and accessible,” the Minister observed.

“To achieve this, we must foster strategic partnerships between the government and the private sector. I strongly believe such partnerships will be very important in addressing our educational challenges.” he added .

Osinbajo who further pointed out that there was need to deepen Private Sector Partnerships recalled that the first Government University in Nigeria, University of Ibadan was founded in 1948 and that since then Nigeria has only 43 Federal Universities and 48 State Universities.

“This shows that it has taken both the Federal and State Governments  74 years to establish 91 Universities. Whereas, it has only taken the Private Sector 23 years to establish 79 Universities. This reaffirms the need to deepen our partnerships with Private Sector.” he argued.