NITT, ABU Romance: Is NITT Losing Its Identity?

The

affiliation of the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT) to Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria raises some questions among stakeholders in the maritime industry as many feel that the institute shouldn’t be affiliated to a university.

NITT, which was the first transport training and research institute established in Nigeria was set up to professionalize the transportation industry in the country.

During a recent familiarization tour by the DG NITT to the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the DG had repeatedly emphasized that the institute was affiliated to ABU Zaria and some stakeholders think it is wrong.

NITT ideally should be a pure technical institute which ought to churn professionals for the Nigerian Transport sector hence it should be keen to affiliate with other technical institutions especially those with global recognition and notable for providing top practitioners.

NITT’s affiliation with a university in Nigeria can be misconstrued as an act which implies that the institute isn’t clear on its identity because as a technical institute it should be more concerned with developing technocrats.

An affiliation with a foreign institute should also boost the patronage of the institute as more individuals in the transport sector would be keen to study at the institute and the patronage could also increase the institute’s recognition globally.

This affiliation with a top-notch foreign body will also equip the institute with modern practices available in the industry thereby increasing the quality of the services rendered and the profession as a whole will be taken to the next level as a result of the exchange of ideas and world class technology with the foreign institute.

Speaking to MMS Plus on the issue, the President of the African Federation of Freight Forwarders (AFOFF), Chief Lexzy Nwangwu said that NITT had no business to go into an affiliation with ABU Zaria as he asserted that the institute would fare better by collaborating with other renowned global transport institutes.

However, the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) Barr. Hassan Bello has recently stressed that NITT needs to maintain the Nigerian peculiarity in its approach towards resolving transport sector challenges.

One thing is certain and it is that the institute needs to boost its image at both national and international levels and qualified lecturers and professionals will also have to be employed in order to improve the quality of students that graduate from the school.