Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, has announced that it would provide N80 million ($500,000) in funds and ICT equipment to the Nelson Mandela Institution (NMI) for its affiliate, the African University of Science and Technology (AUST) in Abuja.
Announcing the grant at the 2014 Nelson Mandela International Day event in Abuja, Huawei explained that N4 million ($24,000) will be provided for the Nelson Mandela Institution which will in turn invest it in AUST as the scholarship for students who have been admitted. The amounts of the scholarship funds and the manner in which they are administered will be mutually agreed upon for each academic year or program.
The remaining N76 million ($466,000) will be of ICT equipment which will be provided to NMI for use by AUST on the basis of identified needs of this institution and consistent with HUAWEI’s own policies and procedures and those of NMI and AUST.
Huawei also stated that it will provide access to its Abuja training center to AUST for the computer science students on the basis of proposals to be developed jointly by AUST computer science faculty and Huawei engineers. AUST will invite Huawei engineers and researchers to organize workshops or specific classes to the students, the company added.
The Deputy Managing Director of Huawei Abuja office, Mr. Osita Iweze described the investment as part of Huawei’s global strategy to bridge the digital divide.
“Huawei has set up an ICT scholarship in University of Lagos since 2012. A 1,000 girls training program with Federal Ministry of Communication Technology was launched in 2013 and until now about 500 girls have finished their training courses. In 2014 Huawei will keep expanding the investment on young ICT talents education and we are glad to work with AUST to ensure the graduates could be ICT industry leaders in Nigeria and other Sub-Sahara African countries”, he added.
The Chief Executive of NMI, Mr Bonaventure Mbida-Essama expressed his appreciation to Huawei stating that “NMI is willing to collaborate with Huawei, which is the world leading ICT solutions provider, not just with its affiliate in Nigeria, AUST, but also with the other institutions affiliated to NMI in Africa in places such as Tanzania, and Burkina Faso. This would also include institutions being considered in Zimbabwe and Mali. The main purpose for Huawei is to introduce the latest technology into the class and to give certain financial support to these institutions for the benefits of their students”.
The African University of Science and Technology (AUST) is the first of the Nelson Mandela Institutions (NMIs). It was established as a centre of excellence in science and technology with a focus on African development. Since its inception, the AUST has more than 300 of PhD and MSc students from 19 African countries in five disciplines (computer science and engineering, pure and applied mathematics, theoretical physics, petroleum engineering, and materials science and engineering).
Also, Huawei today reported a 19 percent jump in sales to 135.8 billion yuan ($21.9 billion; £12.8 billion) for the first six months of the year. The company said it expects to make an operating profit margin of 18.3 percent for the period.
With the company’s diversification from making telecoms network equipment into booming sectors such as Smartphone manufacturing, Huawei is now one of the world’s largest Smartphone makers. With the company’s shipping of 13.7 million Smartphones in the first three months of this year, According to research firm IDC, it is the third-biggest Smartphone vendor in the world.
As reported by the BBC, Cathy Meng, the firm’s chief financial officer said the firm “achieved quality and sustainable growth in our consumer business thanks to the increase of brand awareness and smart devices sales worldwide”.
