Intel Corporation has donated Galileo Boards to eight Nigerian universities in a gesture that further underscores the leading chips maker's commitment to enabling learning and encouraging local innovations around the world and in the country. The technology boards were presented to the schools at a ceremony that held in Lagos recently.

The lucky universities emerged through an application process it was disclosed. The schools include Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria; Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State; Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State; Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ekiti State; Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Ondo State. Others are Federal University of Science and Technology Owerri (FUTO) Imo State and the University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State.

In his presentation before the presentation proper, Corporate Affairs Group Director, Intel, Moise Adams Leye explained that the donation was another demonstration of Intel Corporation's commitment to enabling people to embrace technology and innovation. He added the board is a powerful enabler of local innovation as well as affording the user the opportunity of joining a worldwide community of inventors.

"Galileo Board will enable students to embrace technology because the whole idea of it is to encourage learning and creating things that solves challenges. It is unique in that it allows the students to go from the simplest innovation to the more sophisticated things which is really the way to go." He stated.

Speaking further, he added that "Intel is a powerful enabler of local innovation. Intel is donating 50, 000 Galileo board worldwide; we are working in 18 countries around the world including Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria. Many schools around the world are already using the boards in embedded computing or micro-computer.

In his address, Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Professor Julius Okojie hailed Intel for the donation and noted that the objective of the donation was in line with the vision behind the establishment of the commission.

Professor Okojie who was represented by Mr. Olaolu Olaoye also congratulated the beneficiary institutions and urged that the boards should be deployed in the pursuit of excellence and hoped that in the near future Nigeria universities will produce inventors the likes of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs among others.

"The National Universities Commission (NUC) is happy to be partnering with Intel and appreciate Intel for donating the boards to the Nigerian universities. We are convinced that the boards will encourage innovation because ideas and innovation are what move societies forward.

"While the NUC congratulates the beneficiary universities and enjoined other corporate bodies to emulate such gestures, we also hope that the boards will be put to excellent use so that Nigeria can also produce inventors like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and the likes in the near future." Mr. Olaoye stated.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Corporate Affairs Manager Intel Nigeria, Babatunde Akinola disclosed that the board donation will be followed by a series of other engagement activities including a hands-on training billed for the Federal University of Technology (FUTA) and opened to all the eight university.

According to Akinola "The objective is to inspire innovation through hands-on Intel Galileo Workshop and it is to enable students to create relevant technology solutions to address local socio-economic challenges," he concluded.