Education

Petroleum Institute Matriculates 1,901 Students In Delta

Published

5 years ago

May 24, 2021

The Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Delta State last Friday matriculated 1,901 students for its 2020/2021 academic session.
Acting Principal and PTI Chief Executive, Dr Henry Adimula, administered the matriculation oath on the students.
Adimula urged them to shun unlawful assembly as well as a protest on the campus.
He said that the management did not tolerate any social vices as spelt out on the institute’s handbook.
“Anyone caught would face the consequences,’’ the principal said.
He urged the matriculating students to take their study with all seriousness, which was their primary aim of coming to the institute.
The acting principal said that PTI, which was the foremost institute of oil and gas in Africa, was being reorganised in line with the current trend in the oil and gas industry.
He said that PTI being specialised for the training of manpower for the oil, gas and allied industries placed the students at advantage over their peers in other tertiary institutions.
“On behalf of the academic board, management and staff of PTI, I hereby welcome all the new students to this year’s combined matriculation of full-time and School of Industrial Continuing Education (Part-Time) programme of the 2020/2021 academic session.
“It may interest you to note that 2,831 candidates applied for admission for full-time programmes for the 2020/2021 academic session.
“You are privileged to be among the 1,901 candidates that qualified for admission based on requirements of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board and the PTI Post-UTME requirements.
“The focus of your studentship should be academic excellence, innovations, resourcefulness and character development.
“You are to prepare yourself to be part of the leadership in Nigeria now,’’ Adimula said.
He said that the vision of the management team was to develop investors, technologists and hands-on personnel among the students to fill gaps in the industry in areas of development.
He said that the institute was partnering with several organisations to exchange ideas to provide platforms for staff and students to get better exposure to the latest developments in the oil and gas industry.
The acting principal assured that the management team would provide a conducive learning environment for the students based on the available resources and urged them to preserve the facilities.
“Your actions should be guided by the rules and regulations as stated in the students’ handbook, study, meditate and acquaint yourself with the institute’s rules and regulations as ignorance of this will not be accepted,’’ he advised.

Education

BUK Taps Content Creators to Expand Its Digital Footprint

Published

3 hours ago

February 2, 2026

The Tide

Bayero University, Kano (BUK), has unveiled a team of Digital Media Ambassadors as part of efforts to strengthen the institution’s online presence and deepen engagement with stakeholders.

The initiative was announced in a statement signed by the Head of the Digital Media Unit, Mr Nura Garba, and shared on the university’s official social media platforms.

According to the statement, the Digital Media Unit held its inaugural meeting with the selected content creators on Monday at the unit’s office in the Senate Building.

Garba explained that the ambassadors were appointed to serve as digital brand advocates for the university across various online platforms.

“The ambassadors will serve as digital brand advocates, content creators and community connectors, helping to expand the University’s online reach and engagement,” he said.

He added that the appointees would support official communication, promote university events, document campus experiences and provide feedback on public perception of BUK across digital platforms.

Isa Kaita College

The appointed ambassadors are Ameer Umar Ibrahim, Arafat Yakubu Onono, Okeneme Favour Mmesoma, Abubakar Zubair (Master), Mustapha Sani Jibril, Auwal Muhammad Hamma, Idris Abdullahi, Nuruddeen Murtala Muhammad, Mukhtar Muhammad and Samuel Maina.

Garba noted that the initiative forms part of the university’s broader strategy to enhance its digital footprint and ensure effective, timely communication with internal and external stakeholders.

“The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to professionalism, collaboration and the promotion of the University’s image on global digital platforms,” the statement added.

Education

RIVCHPP Set To Take Health Insurance Scheme To Tertiary Institutions In Rivers State

Published

2 weeks ago

January 19, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), the state health insurance agency, is set to take the health insurance scheme to schools, especially tertiary institutions, in the state.

This disclosure was made by the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of RIVCHPP, Dr. Vetty Rolegherighan Agala, when she led a team from RIVCHPP on an advocacy visit to the office of the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Education on Friday, 16th January 2026.

Dr. Agala, who solicited authorisation from the Ministry for RIVCHPP to write to the institutions under Ministry’s mandate so as to begin enrolment of students in the various schools , said that for the health insurance agency to expand universal health coverage of the state, then students need to be enrolled into the programme.

RIVCHPP’s Executive Secretary announced that the agency has also started talks with the State branch of Nigeria Association of Proprietors of Private Secondary Schools (NAPPSS) to ensure that no one in the state is left out from having the opportunity of accessing quality healthcare services without passing through financial hardship.

Dr. Agala also commended the innovative policies that the Permanent Secretary have brought to bear towards improving the educational exploits in the state, saying that the changes align to the interest and mandate of Governor Siminialayi Fubara stance on education.

RIVCHPP’s Executive Secretary appreciated the Permanent Secretary for giving the team audience, pledging her team’s dedication and commitment to clients’ satisfaction, calling on schools to embrace the S-SHIP package dedicated for the well-being of students in Rivers State.

In her remarks and response, the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Education, Dr.(Mrs. ) Azibaolanari Uzoma-Nwogu, who warmly welcomed the RIVCHPP team, promised to share with and disseminate all information about RIVCHPP to all public schools in the state so that the schools will be willing to give RIVCHPP opportunity to sensitise them on what RIVCHPP is all about and the benefits of signing up with RIVCHPP.

Dr. Uzoma-Nwogu advised RIVCHPP to be proactive and consistent in the mandate of providing affordable and quality health care to Rivers residents.

The visit witnessed a presentation of RIVCHPP’s sensitisation/campaign materials to the Permanent Secretary by RIVCHPP’s Executive Secretary

Education

University Don wants AI to be made compulsory course

Published

2 weeks ago

January 19, 2026

The Tide

A university don, Prof. Sunday Olatunji, has argued that Artificial Intelligence (AI) should be made a compulsory course for all students in higher institutions across Nigeria, irrespective of their field of study

He also called on Nigeria and Africa to build an intelligent, inclusive and technologically sovereign future to elevate human potential through artificial intelligence.

To achieve these goals, the Professor of Artificial Intelligence urged the nation and continent to: institutionalize capacity building for AI excellence; develop functional policy and ethical frameworks for responsible AI; build artificial intelligence literacy and workforce development; make AI a general course in all higher institutions; promote no-code

AI and machine learning pathways for beginners; develop public-private-academic partnerships; and build inclusive and culturally grounded AI.Prof. Olatunji, who is ranked by the National Universities Commission (NUC) as the Best AI Researcher in Nigeria (2025), made these statements on Tuesday, while delivering the 53rd Inaugural Lecture of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, held at the University Multipurpose Hall.

The lecture was titled, Symbiosis of Mind and Machine: Harnessing AI for National Development.He stressed that artificial intelligence is no longer science fiction but a reality that permeates every stratum of human life. “Just as Computer Appreciation became a national requirement decades ago, the time has come for AI Appreciation as a compulsory General Studies (GST) course.

This course should introduce all students, regardless of discipline, to aspects of AI including: AI fundamentals, machine learning concepts, applications of AI in their respective fields, ethical implications of AI, and its role in national development, among others,” he said.

The lecturer called on governments to establish AI innovation hubs in all tertiary institutions and research centres; promote cross-disciplinary collaboration integrating computing; provide national research grants focused on AI solutions for local challenges; and recruit and train faculty specialised in AI, machine learning, data science, robotics, and computational intelligence.

Prof. Olatunji allayed fears that AI could replace humans or end humanity, positing that, “Many fear that the rise of artificial intelligence signals the decline of human relevance – that the machine might replace the mind. But history teaches otherwise. Every technological revolution – from the printing press to electricity, from the internet to AI – has not diminished humanity but rather redefined it.

Today, AI diagnoses diseases, predicts the weather, translates languages, and protects nations.

Prof. Olatunji has garnered from far and wide and commended his role in setting up the Faculty of Computing and for doing a yeoman’s job as its founding Dean.

The Vice Chancellor also noted that Prof. Olatunji is a well-respected and accomplished academic and researcher who has carved an enviable niche for himself in the digital world of computing and artificial intelligence.