AE-FUNAI VC Explores Strategic Partnership With Innoson Motors and Zobis Cable to Drive Innovation
Prof. Daniel Nwachukwu, the Vice-Chancellor of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, recently took a major step toward connecting academic learning with real-world industry. He visited two prominent manufacturing companies in Anambra State—Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing in Nnewi and Zobis Cable & Wire in Onitsha—to discuss long-term collaborations that will benefit both students and the Nigerian economy.
The main goal of these visits is to turn AE-FUNAI into a center for entrepreneurship and practical research. During his time at Innoson, Africa’s leading indigenous car maker, the Vice-Chancellor talked about creating a specialized Innovation Lab for Mechatronics Engineering. This lab would allow students to work directly with modern vehicle designs and receive mentorship from industry experts. In return, Innoson would have access to a pool of well-trained graduates who already understand their production needs.
At Zobis Cable & Wire, a major producer in the telecommunications and electrical sectors, the focus was on industrial training. Prof. Nwachukwu looked into how students in fields like Physics, Industrial Chemistry, and Electrical Engineering could gain hands-on experience through technology transfer and internships. These types of partnerships are expected to make AE-FUNAI graduates more employable and help the university update its teaching materials to match current industrial standards.
The Vice-Chancellor described this approach as “Town and Gown Synergy,” a vision aimed at making the university more relevant on a global scale. He made it clear that his priority is ensuring students leave the university with practical, sellable skills rather than just theoretical knowledge.
Prof. Nwachukwu thanked the leaders of both companies, Chief Innocent Chukwuma of Innoson and Chief John Ezeobi of Zobis, for being open to working with the university. He was accompanied on the trip by his Personal Assistant, Comrade Chidi Ilogebe, as they worked to finalize these promising industrial ties.