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The Federal University of Technology Babura says it has launched a town and gown committee to support and foster sustainable development within its host community in Jigawa State.
Findings by Arewa PUNCH revealed that the initiative aided the speedy growth of FUTB, as also confirmed by the varsity’s Vice Chancellor Professor Ibrahim Sabo Birnin-Kudu.
Our correspondent reports that the FUTB, founded in June 2021, has been a strategic part of the Nigerian government’s efforts to boost national growth through science and technology education.
The university began academic activities in 2022, with 13 programs comprising: engineering, computing, and various sciences, including cybersecurity and software engineering.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with our correspondent on Monday in his office, Prof Birnin Kudu disclosed that the committee brought together the university staff and community representatives to identify and address the needs of Babura residents.
“The Town and Gown Committee looks for ways the university can assist the community beyond financial aid, such as offering free training programs to fill knowledge gaps,” Professor Sabo explained.
“Although still young, we have made steady progress and are actively working to fully accredit our programs while expanding our offerings,” the VC added.
Speaking on infrastructural development in the new university, the VC highlighted that “Infrastructure development is underway with three schools established; Applied Sciences, Computing, and Engineering alongside support facilities like a library, IT center, and security office.”
According to him, currently, the university operates from a temporary site provided by the Jigawa State government but has plans for a permanent campus, which he said “the work is ongoing.”
Prof. Sabo explained further that “Staff recruitment has also grown, with 401 academic and non-academic personnel hired through two recruitment phases. Student enrollment has risen steadily, demonstrating the university’s expanding role in technological education.”
While detailing more on the plan of the university to come up with the remedial programme, the VC pointed out that “recognising the challenge of admitting qualified students, FUTB plans to start a remedial programme in January 2026.
This year-long course aims to prepare students who fall short of the direct admission criteria by strengthening foundational knowledge in science and technology subjects.
“This program guarantees students admission once they successfully complete the remedial course and meet JAMB requirements,” Professor Sabo said.
Furthermore, he revealed that FUTB prioritises addressing the technological needs of Jigawa by focusing on training students to solve local problems with innovative scientific approaches.
“We are identifying real community needs and tailoring solutions that will drive progress,” the VC stressed.