Abuja: Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State has stressed the need to bridge the gap between international best practices and the urgent developmental needs of Nigeria’s higher education system. He made the call at the inauguration of the Diaspora BRIDGE, themed ‘STEMMing the Gap for a Better Nigeria,’ organized by the Federal Ministry of Education.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the BRIDGE platform enables Nigerian scholars and professionals abroad to register as collaborators by submitting their credentials and areas of expertise. Mbah explained that the initiative is designed to match diaspora expertise with local institutions based on identified needs, fostering targeted collaborations aligned with Nigeria’s development goals. He emphasized that the BRIDGE serves as a matchmaking hub for expertise and institutional needs, empowering Nigerian tertiary institutions to conduct self-assessments, identify gaps in teaching and research, and express interest in specific collaborations.
Mbah highlighted the importance of reconnecting global expertise with local purpose, stating that the forum is an urgent call to build a living bridge between the diaspora’s rich patterns and Nigeria’s higher education system’s developmental needs. He reiterated the necessity for future generations of Nigerian graduates to be globally competitive and innovative in addressing challenges like food insecurity, climate change, energy, digital transformation, health, and sustainable development.
In Enugu, Mbah noted the implementation of a 40-60 tertiary education principle, where 40 percent of the curriculum focuses on Enugu’s strategic economic sectors, while 60 percent prepares students for national, continental, and global opportunities. He emphasized his administration’s prioritization of education, healthcare, technology, and science as core components of its human capital development strategy, with significant investments in constructing smart green schools and allocating 33.2 percent of the state’s total budget to education.
Mbah also detailed the construction of 6,500 classrooms featuring advanced technology centers, including robotic, artificial intelligence, and mechatronic centers, as part of the state’s educational infrastructure development. He expressed hope that the Diaspora BRIDGE would integrate basic education sectors and build from the ground up, creating an enabling environment for effective teaching and learning.
The governor identified additional achievements in Enugu, such as constructing family healthcare centers, a five-star hospital for medical tourism, and upgrading nursing programs. He emphasized the critical role of education in achieving human capital development and ensuring graduates become problem solvers and knowledge economy leaders globally.
Mbah concluded by highlighting the establishment of new universities and vocational schools in Enugu, underscoring the importance of innovation and the state’s commitment to fostering a development ecosystem where meaningful, sustainable impact is co-created with the diaspora and local communities.
