The University of Calabar has approached MTN Nigeria for support in two areas it considers critical to its immediate future: digital infrastructure and sports development, with the University set to host the NUGA Games later this year.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Offiong Offiong appealed on Monday during a courtesy visit by MTN representatives to his office, describing the telecom company as a long standing ambassador of the institution. His request was grounded in a practical problem. While the University is actively digitalising its administrative processes, including staff promotions and academic documentation, poor network connectivity on campus is undermining those efforts.
"As an institution, we are progressing, and all our processes are being digitalised. But poor network connectivity on the campus is a major challenge affecting these initiatives. I want to urge MTN Nigeria to assist in improving network infrastructure to enhance digital operations in the institution," he said.
On the sports side, Prof. Offiong pointed to the University's history of athletic achievement and its upcoming role as host of the NUGA Games as reasons for urgency. He expressed concern about repeating the experience of the last time UNICAL hosted the Games in 1990, when the infrastructure built for the occasion did not outlast the event. He said MTN's involvement could help the University develop facilities that would serve students long after the competition ends.
"MTN Nigeria can be a reliable partner in achieving our dual goals of sports excellence and digital transformation," he said.
MTN Nigeria's Chief Marketing Officer, Mrs. Onyinye Ikenna Emeka, reaffirmed the company's commitment to supporting youth athletics, pointing to the return of the MTN Champs Athletics Championship to Cross River State for its fourth season. She also highlighted student athlete Destiny Reuben as an example of what the Athletics Training Programme had produced.
With the NUGA Games approaching and digital transformation already under way, the outcome of the University's engagement with MTN will have direct consequences for students on both fronts.
