By Julius Tambaya, Abuja

Igbinedion University, Okada, one of Nigeria’s leading private universities, has entered into a strategic partnership with EduTech Global to accelerate its digital learning ambitions, expand access to its academic programmes to students in the country.

Through the partnership, EduTech will provide digital learning infrastructure and technology support for the University’s Distance Learning Centre (DLC), thereby enabling learners to access quality university education beyond the conventional campus environment.

The partnership reflects Igbinedion University’s ambition to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving higher education landscape by combining its academic heritage with technology, innovation and new models of learning that contribute to national workforce development.

Speaking on the partnership, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye, said the collaboration represented a significant step in the university’s ambition to produce graduates equipped for national and global impact.

He said: “At Igbinedion University, our mandate has always been to lead in producing graduates equipped for national and global impact. This partnership with EduTech Global represents a bold step into the future of higher education in Nigeria.

“By expanding our digital learning infrastructure, we are not just breaking down geographical barriers; we are actively contributing to national workforce development by ensuring that quality, industry-aligned education is accessible to every driven learner, regardless of location.”

In his remarks, Director, Igbinedion University Distance Learning Centre, Prof. Gideon Bawa, said the university was motivated by the opportunity to transform its existing processes, which hitherto were being handled manually, and build a more efficient and scalable distance learning model.

The Director clarified: “The growth recorded by institutions that have leveraged EduTech’s technology and expertise was a major factor in our decision to engage the company. We are confident that this partnership will position Igbinedion University to achieve significant growth in enrolment while strengthening the quality and efficiency of our Distance Learning Centre.”

“With this partnership, we expect to move most of our administrative and academic activities online through EduTech. This will improve efficiency, enhance the learner experience and allow our facilitators and students to engage more effectively through a connected digital learning environment”, Bawa added.

Commenting on the collaboration, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, EduTech Global, Femi Shonubi, pointed out that technology had been redefining the boundaries of what a university can offer, adding that EduTech’s role extends beyond putting courses online.

Shonubi expatiated: “Technology’s true value lies in its ability to drive tangible socio-economic impact through education. By dismantling physical boundaries, we are empowering institutions like Igbinedion University to democratise access to high-quality learning. This is about more than online courses; it is about developing a resilient, highly skilled workforce at scale to meet the demands of the modern economy.

“We are helping institutions build connected learning ecosystems that support the student journey from application and enrolment through learning, assessment and graduation. Igbinedion University’s ambition to lead in innovative education aligns strongly with what we are building at EduTech.”

General Manager, Edutech Global, Moyosore Asubiojo said the partnership arises as demand grows for flexible higher education among working professionals, entrepreneurs and learners seeking alternatives to traditional full-time campus education.

She asserted that by combining Igbinedion University’s academic competence with EduTech’s technology capabilities, the collaboration will create new pathways to quality education and workforce development while enabling the University to expand beyond its traditional geographical footprint.

Analysts believe that the partnership between the university and the tech company represents a shared commitment to making higher education more accessible, flexible and scalable, while positioning the university to compete and lead in the next generation of technology-enabled education in Nigeria and globally.

By David Torough, Abuja

The Federal Government has announced the arrival of another batch of 83 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa, amid renewed concerns over Afrophobic attacks, xenophobia and anti-foreigner sentiments in the country.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement issued on Monday and signed by its spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said the returnees are expected to arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Wednesday.

According to the ministry, the Nigerians will depart O.R. Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, at 3:35pm local time aboard South African Airways and are expected to land in Lagos at about 8:45pm the same day.

The ministry said the latest evacuation was made possible through the intervention and sponsorship of air tickets by public-spirited private individuals.

It expressed the Federal Government’s appreciation to the sponsors, describing their intervention as a significant demonstration of patriotism and solidarity with Nigerians facing difficulties abroad.

The latest development comes after the conclusion of the government’s voluntary repatriation programme, through which nearly 1,490 Nigerians were repatriated from South Africa amid concerns over attacks, discrimination and hostility towards foreigners.

The ministry said the Federal Government, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, remained committed to protecting the welfare, safety and dignity of Nigerians both at home and abroad.

It said the government’s Citizen Diplomacy agenda considers Nigerians in the diaspora “not as a burden, but as critical assets for national development,” stressing that their protection and well-being remained a priority.

The ministry also commended the private individuals and philanthropists who supported the latest evacuation, describing their intervention as an example of the “whole-of-society approach” being promoted by the government.

“The Ministry commends their patriotism and selflessness, which have significantly alleviated the plight of our compatriots in South Africa,” the statement said.

The Federal Government called on the organised private sector, corporate organisations, state governments and other well-meaning Nigerians at home and abroad to emulate the initiative and support efforts to respond to consular emergencies.

The ministry further disclosed that the government would continue to strengthen diplomatic engagement with South Africa to address the root causes of Afrophobia and prevent attacks and discrimination against Nigerians.

It said Nigeria would deepen strategic partnerships with host countries, including South Africa, to ensure that acts of violence and discrimination against Nigerians are prevented, condemned and, where they occur, met with appropriate accountability for perpetrators.

The ministry urged broader collaboration between government, the private sector and other stakeholders to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to protect its citizens abroad and respond swiftly to emergencies affecting them.

From Agbo Emmanuel, Kaduna

More than 200 lecturers, including professors and other experienced academic staff, have left Kaduna State University (KASU) over poor conditions of service and the failure to implement the 2025 Federal Government–Academic Staff Union of Universities (FGN-ASUU) Agreement, the university’s ASUU chapter has said.

The development has heightened tensions at the institution, with the union issuing a two-week ultimatum to the Kaduna State Government and university authorities to commence the full implementation and domestication of the agreement or face a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike.

Chairman of ASUU-KASU, Dr Abubakar Abdullahi, disclosed this on Monday at a press conference at the union’s secretariat in Kaduna.

Abdullahi said the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement, which provides improved conditions of service for academic staff in Nigerian universities, took effect in January 2026, but had yet to be implemented at KASU.

He said the union had written several letters to the university management, Governing Council and the Visitor to the institution, Governor Uba Sani, urging them to domesticate and implement the agreement in line with the law establishing the university.

According to him, the union had also engaged stakeholders within and outside Kaduna State in an effort to resolve the dispute and preserve industrial harmony.

Abdullahi expressed concern that more than eight months after the agreement was signed, KASU had made no move to commence implementation, while several federal and state universities had either implemented the agreement or announced timelines for its implementation and payment of accrued arrears.

He said the delay had left KASU academic staff among the least-paid university workers in the country, a situation he said was a departure from the institution’s former reputation for prioritising staff welfare.

The ASUU chairman warned that continued inaction would result in the accumulation of salary arrears dating back to January 2026.

He also linked the departure of more than 200 academic staff to poor remuneration and deteriorating welfare conditions. According to him, most of those who left had secured appointments in newer universities within and outside Kaduna State.

Abdullahi warned that the continued loss of experienced academics could have serious consequences for teaching, research and academic development, adding that replacing professors and other highly skilled lecturers could take years and require substantial resources.

The union’s Congress, which met on August 12, resolved to declare an industrial dispute and embark on a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike if its demands were not addressed. The decision, Abdullahi said, was in line with a resolution of ASUU’s National Executive Council reached at its meeting at the University of Abuja on August 8 and 9.

He said the two-week ultimatum was issued in accordance with established procedures for industrial disputes, giving the authorities an opportunity to take concrete steps towards implementing and domesticating the agreement before industrial action begins.

Beyond the federal agreement, ASUU-KASU also raised a number of unresolved local issues, including university autonomy, excessive workload, promotion arrears, death benefits, group life insurance coverage, the 25 and 35 per cent wage awards, and pension remittances.

The union urged the university management, Kaduna State Government and other relevant authorities to treat the issues with urgency and provide satisfactory responses to avert industrial disharmony.

Abdullahi also appealed to parents, stakeholders and other well-meaning Nigerians to intervene in the dispute, stressing that timely action could prevent a strike and help preserve peace and stability at the university.

He reaffirmed the union’s commitment to pursuing its demands through lawful means, while expressing hope that the authorities would act before the expiration of the ultimatum.