FIC Report (Imo State) – The Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) is deepening its partnership with the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (PI-CNG & EV) to support the Federal Government’s clean-energy transition agenda.
The Vice-Chancellor of FUTO, Prof. I.N.S. Dozie, stated this while receiving a delegation from the initiative, led by Mr. Andrew Abuh, during a courtesy visit to the University.
Prof. Dozie described FUTO as a natural partner for the initiative, given its technological orientation, research capacity and pool of skilled personnel. He expressed the University’s readiness to support initiatives promoting cleaner energy, technological innovation, affordable transportation and environmental sustainability.
The engagement is expected to facilitate the expansion of CNG infrastructure at FUTO and position the University as a strategic CNG hub in Imo State, while creating opportunities for students to acquire practical technical skills relevant to Nigeria’s emerging green-energy sector.
Beyond the CNG initiative, FUTO is also deepening international collaboration in renewable-energy research through its partnership with Swansea University, United Kingdom.
The University is participating in the £3.08 million Resilient Renewable Energy Access Through Community-Driven Holistic Development in Perovskite Solar Module Manufacturing (REACH-PSM) project, led by Swansea University and funded by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Ayrton Challenge Programme.
The partnership, which commenced with a week-long UK-Nigeria Train-the-Trainer programme hosted by FUTO’s Africa Centre of Excellence in Future Energies and Electrochemical Systems (ACE-FUELS), focuses on solar-cell fabrication, manufacturing, quality assurance, materials characterisation and researcher development.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Development and Innovation) and ACE-FUELS Centre Leader, Prof. Emeka E. Oguzie, disclosed that the project had also supported the development of ElectroLab-X, FUTO’s state-of-the-art facility for advanced energy research, while strengthening the University’s capacity for high-impact research and technology development.
The two partnerships underscore FUTO’s growing contribution to clean-energy research, technical skills development and technological innovation, while positioning the University to support national efforts towards sustainable energy and economic development.
CHIKA ANURUNWA
ACIPRO/ANIPR
