The Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba (Prof.) Saka Adelola Matemilola, and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security, Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, have challenged students and lecturers of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, to leverage technology to develop innovative solutions to societal problems following the inauguration of the institution’s 10Gbps Smart Campus Fibre Infrastructure.
The duo spoke on Thursday at the official unveiling of the digital infrastructure, facilitated through a partnership between the institution and the Advanced Technological Incubation and Research Centre.
The project, described by stakeholders as Nigeria’s fastest campus internet facility with a speed of 10 Gigabits per second, is expected to strengthen digital learning, research, innovation and entrepreneurship at the institution.
Speaking at the event, Oba Matemilola described the initiative as a strategic investment in technology-driven education, saying it would equip students with practical digital skills and expose them to opportunities capable of transforming ideas into businesses.
The monarch, who chairs the Advisory Board of the Advanced Technological Incubation and Research Centre, said the project was designed to bridge the gap between academia and industry while positioning MAPOLY among the leading technology-driven institutions in West Africa.
He said, “We cannot afford for our students to be left behind in the race for technological advancement. This infrastructure will enhance learning, strengthen research, commercialise innovation and create incubation opportunities for students to transform their ideas into viable enterprises.”
Also speaking, Salisu urged the institution to immediately automate all its academic and administrative processes, insisting that the availability of high-speed internet should mark the end of manual operations.
“There is no point having the fastest internet on campus if your processes are still manual. From admissions to communication, transcripts and every business process in this institution, this is the time to automate everything,” he said.
The senator said the infrastructure should be deployed to connect students and lecturers with global academic institutions through virtual learning while encouraging research capable of solving real-life challenges.
He challenged lecturers to assign practical projects that would stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship rather than research with little relevance to society.
Salisu also advised students to channel the new digital resources towards innovation instead of spending excessive time on social media.
“This is the time to build networks, form teams and begin creating solutions that will sell. Companies like Apple and Microsoft started with people coming together to solve problems. You have the opportunity to do the same,” he said.
To support the initiative, the lawmaker announced the donation of 25 laptops to facilitate the take-off of the institution’s proposed Artificial Intelligence Research Laboratory.
He also pledged to seek intervention from relevant federal agencies, including the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, to support MAPOLY’s digital transformation agenda.
In his remarks, the Rector of MAPOLY, Dr. Babatunde Jolaoso, described the launch as a major milestone in the institution’s pursuit of technological excellence.
According to him, the infrastructure will significantly improve teaching, learning, research and innovation while enhancing the institution’s global competitiveness.
Jolaoso assured stakeholders that adequate monitoring and security mechanisms had been integrated into the network to prevent abuse.
“The system is all-encompassing in terms of monitoring. The necessary facilities are already built in to check negative activities and ensure the infrastructure serves its intended purpose of development and progress,” he said.
Earlier, the Director of the Advanced Technological Incubation and Research Centre, Balogun Khalil, said the centre was established to bridge the disconnect between Nigeria’s educational institutions and industry through world-class digital infrastructure.
He disclosed that more than 70 Wi-Fi 7 access points had already been deployed across the campus, providing internet connectivity in virtually every part of the institution.
Khalil added that partnerships had been secured with organisations, including MTN, to provide students with digital skills training, professional certifications and other technology opportunities.
He further announced plans to establish a fully equipped Artificial Intelligence Research Laboratory with at least 50 computer systems before the end of the year.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ogun State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mrs. Abosede Oloko, who represented the Commissioner for Education, described the project as a major step towards technology-driven education in the state.
She said high-speed internet had become indispensable for quality teaching, research, innovation and institutional administration, adding that the initiative would prepare students for emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics and cloud computing.
The President of the Students’ Union Government, Afolabi Temitope, welcomed the development, saying the project would improve learning, communication and students’ access to digital educational resources across the campus.
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