Technology transfer: FG, Huawei boost IT education with N315m

As part of its technology transfer commitment in
providing more training opportunities to Nigeria in
2014, the Vice President of the leading global
information and communications technology (ICT)
solutions provider, Huawei West Africa, Mr. Hover
Gao has disclosed that the company in partnership
with the Federal Ministry of Communications
Technology, FMCT have committed about N315
million in ICT trainings in Nigeria.
It would be recalled that Huawei was the first ICT
solutions provider to establish an ICT training
center in Abuja back in 2004 and since then the
training center has provided more than 5,000
opportunities to ICT practitioners.
Before now, Huawei on the 4th of November 2013
had announced a partnership with the Federal
Ministry of Communications Technology, FMCT to
provide 1,000 Nigerian girls with basic ICT training,
which is part of the global campaign “Tech Needs
Girls” developed by The International
Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Gao who stated this in a press conference at the
weekend said that this global sensitization
campaign has raged for over 20 years and has
produced tangible results in many countries
including Nigeria.
With this, he further disclosed that , Marco Obiso,
the Cyber security Coordinator of International
Telecom Union (ITU), on November, 2013 had
visited Huawei Nigeria to evaluate this program and
to share the experience with ITU members globally.
Accordingly, the investment on this program, he
said form Huawei worth N215 million Naira and
additional N100 million from the FMCT.
The training program flagged off in November 2013
between the Federal Ministry of Communications
Technology and Huawei, according to Gao has
already provided 424 training opportunities for the
Nigerian girls during 9 sessions until now.
By the end of this program, he said hat 200 top
participants out of the 1,000 girls will get further
training for the attainment of a certification as
Huawei Certified Datacom Associate (HCDA).
Top achievers with Huawei HCDA certification ,
according to him, will have the priority-access to
Huawei Human resources pool to be employed by
Huawei.
“All the participants will be recommended by
Huawei to Huawei Channel partners such as
operators, ICT solutions providers and ICT
departments in enterprises. An awards ceremony
will be organized this April as ITU has designated
the 4th Thursday in April every year as a day set to
celebrate and encourage girls to take up careers in
ICT” he added.
To grow with Nigeria, the VP of Huawei West Africa
said that the ICT company increased its investment
in Nigeria year by year.
“Huawei is the first ICT solutions provider who
invests millions of dollars to establish its regional
network operation center in Lagos which is said to
have the capability of maintaining all the Huawei
networks in Africa.
“ In 2013, Huawei set up an ICT exhibition hall in
Lagos. Thousands of people of different background
have visited the exhibition hall to get a better
understanding of ICT industry,”explained.
By so doing, he said that Huawei strives to create a
platform to nurture work-ready and world-
To bridge the digital divide, he said hat Huawei also
established ICT scholarship programs in Nigeria to
support university students.
The Vice President of Huawei West Africa assured
that the company was committed to providing more
training opportunities to Nigeria in 2014.
Disclosing that Huawei is now trying to create a
platform for more people to get involved in this
program, he said: “Technology transfer is the key
strategy of Huawei Nigeria and localization is
another one. The ICT training programs for Huawei
partners and Huawei staffs are initiatives to make
these strategies practical.
“It is a Win-Win business for Huawei to provide the
training courses. Firstly, staffs of Huawei and the
telecom companies will be educated with the latest
ICT solutions and technologies, which will empower
them with the knowledge to find the best solutions
for Nigeria telecoms industry.
“Secondly, talents can be cultivated and selected
during the training program. Top trainees will be
recommended to core post such as networks
planning officer. Thirdly, the training program for
young students will inspire their interests in ICT
which will attract more talents to this industry.”
“ICT industry is booming in Nigeria and statistics
show that ICT industry has contributed about 8% to
GDP growth while this figure might be 15% by 2015.
But there are also challenges for ICT industry such
as stable power solutions for telecom
infrastructures, National Broadband construction,
better and cheaper access to internet.
“How to solve these problems and how Nigeria can
hold the leading position in building a modern
information nation are challenges for all the
stakeholders.
“The competitive Human resources are the key
factors for the sustainable growth in every industry.
Huawei would like to face the challenges and seize
the opportunities to make better telecom
connections for Nigeria by cultivating more local
talents and ICT professions besides providing
innovative equipments and solutions”, Gao
explained.