Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba, is set to receive a Research Centre of Excellence and Digital Library following an initiative by the Executive Secretary of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, Dr Rabiu Olowo, who attended the institution.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the facility has already taken place, with the project coordinator, Dr Mohammed Umar, confirming that the centre would be built to global standards to strengthen research, teaching and learning at the university.

Umar told attendees that the digital library would hold extensive academic resources accessible to accounting students across universities in Nigeria. He stated that the facility would also engage professional bodies at the national and international levels to expand its offerings.

"The digital library will partner with professional bodies nationally and internationally to provide digital accounting textbooks and free resources. Additionally, the digital library will grant lecturers access to the latest publications to support their research and teaching," Umar said.

Beyond library services, Umar disclosed that the centre would actively mobilise research funding to support academic work within the university and other higher institutions across the country.

He further noted that the facility would be equipped with uninterrupted power supply, high speed internet connectivity and a borehole to maintain a productive learning environment.

"The centre has state of the art seminar rooms for teaching and learning. The centre represents a revolution in facilitating access to knowledge and research skills in the institution," Umar stated.

Addressing the driving force behind the project, Umar identified Olowo's commitment to knowledge dissemination and academic excellence as the primary motivation.

On the question of funding, he confirmed that the project would draw on stakeholder support and leverage the goodwill Olowo has built over the course of his career. He added that the centre was positioned to serve as a leading force for innovation both within the university and at the national level.