The Covenant Applied Informatics and Communication African Centre of Excellence (CApIC-ACE), Covenant University, Ota, has strengthened Nigeria’s research and technology ecosystem by successfully deploying the FEGEND Cloud and High-Performance Computing (HPC) Testbed – Region 4 to Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD). The milestone, achieved during a strategic courtesy visit from November 4–6, 2025, marks a major step forward in expanding access to advanced research infrastructure across academic institutions in Africa.
ABUAD is one of the academic partners of the FEDGEN Research Project, a major initiative funded by the World Bank and the French Development Agency (AFD) through CApIC-ACE. The deployment signals the growing national footprint of FEDGEN’s digital research ecosystem, designed to empower universities with state-of-the-art tools for scientific discovery and innovation.
The CApIC-ACE delegation, led by Engr. Matthew B. Akanle, Lead Infrastructure Engineer, received a warm welcome from the ABUAD management team. Welcoming the visitors was the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. E. Smaranda Olarinde, FCArb, FCAI, accompanied by top university officials, including the Director of International Collaboration and Linkages, Prof. Adeniran Afolalu; Provost of the College of Engineering, Prof. Olufemi Onibonoje, Deputy Director of ICT, Mr Muyiwa Oladimeji, and the Coordinator of the World Bank–assisted project ABUAD, Engr. Dr Temitayo Ejidokun.
Joining virtually were the Centre Leader of CApIC-ACE, Prof. Emeka Iweala, and the Deputy Centre Leader, Prof. Emmanuel Adetiba, highlighting the importance the Centre places on expanding national research capabilities.
A major highlight of the visit was the installation of a ₦35 million High-Performance Computing Server, comprising five Dell EMC PowerEdge R740 units and a suite of supporting infrastructure. This deployment marks one of the most advanced computing installations in the region, expanding ABUAD’s capacity to undertake data-intensive research at global standards.
The installation was complemented by a hands-on technical workshop on High-Performance Computing, attracting over 80 participants. The workshop featured lead presentations from Prof. Emmanuel Adetiba, Engr. (Mrs.) Faith SweetWilliams, Dr John Wejin and Dr Idowu Bismark.
Participants were introduced to the architecture, capabilities, and research applications of the FEDGEN Cloud and HPC Testbed, with practical demonstrations illustrating the relevance of HPC in artificial intelligence, machine learning, bioinformatics, and large-scale data modelling. The sessions emphasised how HPC accelerates computational research, enhances predictive accuracy, and expands the frontiers of scientific innovation.
In her remarks, Prof. Olarinde commended CApIC-ACE for its continuous commitment to advancing innovation and collaboration within Nigeria’s higher education landscape. She added that the partnership was a practical step toward equipping ABUAD scholars and students with advanced digital tools and competencies required for impactful research, innovation, and problem-solving. She reaffirmed ABUAD’s dedication to driving digital transformation and promoting scientific research that addresses Africa’s most pressing developmental challenges.
The deployment, executed at ABUAD’s ICT Centre with technical support from both institutions, is expected to empower researchers to process and analyse large-scale genomic data, artificial intelligence (AI) models, and other data-intensive projects, enabling groundbreaking discoveries in health, biotechnology, and engineering.
The visit was influenced by ABUAD’s former Provost, College of Engineering, Emeritus Professor Israel Owolabi.
In her remarks, Vice-Chancellor of ABUAD, Prof. Olarinde, praised CApIC-ACE for its unwavering commitment to advancing innovation within Nigeria’s higher education system. She described the partnership as a crucial investment in the future of research and development at ABUAD, noting that access to advanced digital infrastructure will significantly boost the university’s capacity for impactful research, problem-solving, and scholarly innovation.
She reaffirmed ABUAD’s dedication to digital transformation and its ongoing mission to contribute scientific solutions to Africa’s pressing developmental challenges.
Hosted at ABUAD’s ICT Centre, the testbed deployment—executed with seamless technical collaboration between both institutions—is poised to transform the university’s research landscape. Scholars will now be better equipped to perform computationally demanding analyses, including:
- Large-scale genomic sequencing
- Artificial intelligence model training
- Computational engineering simulations
- Data-intensive investigations in biotechnology, health sciences, and environmental studies
These expanded capabilities will enable ABUAD to contribute more substantively to global research conversations while developing homegrown solutions to regional challenges.
With this deployment, CApIC-ACE continues to fulfil its mandate of building world-class research capacity across Africa. The expansion of the FEGEND Cloud and HPC testbed to ABUAD showcases how strategic partnerships, impactful investments, and advanced digital infrastructure can accelerate national development and position African institutions at the forefront of global scientific discovery.
