The University of Ilorin has the best Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure among higher education institutions in the country with internet speed between 622 Mbps (megabits per second) to 630 Mbps on the STM-4 fibre bandwidth.

The Director of the Computer Services and Information Technology (COMSIT) Directorate, Prof. Musa Isiyaku Ahmed, disclosed this in an interview with Unilorin Bulletin penultimate Tuesday (March 29, 2016).

Prof. Ahmed, who spoke on the state of ICT infrastructure and services in the University, further revealed that the University had also made arrangements for redundancy to backup with microwave wireless radios to support the fibre backbone connection. He said that the Directorate has been able to provide internet services for over 90% of existing infrastructure.The COMSIT Director said, "With the 22 newly completed projects, our coverage is about 80% of total infrastructure on the campus. However, internet deployment is currently on - going and we hope to conclude 100% coverage by the end of the second quarter of 2016."

Prof. Ahmed said that the deployment policy currently imbibed by the University ensures that projects are executed in a responsible and sustainable manner, adding that Enterprise agile internet equipment are now employed for deployment of resources which are backed up with OEM warranty.

He said, "As at today, no university in Nigeria can boast of the kind of ICT infrastructure the University of Ilorin had invested in recent times. The first generation universities may have an upper hand on repositories but we are better by far in the area of ICT".

He disclosed that a data centre will soon be deployed at the Network Operations Centre to host the University institutional repository, Unilorin web server, Unilorin FM audio streaming, live events streaming, Courseware domiciliation, VoIP, achieving and to monitor CCTV and internet equipment.

Prof. Ahmed explained that it would greatly improve ICT service delivery and efficiency as he observed that "access to the internet for staff and students of the University of Ilorin is now no longer a privilege but a right."

The astute ICT administrator said, "It is not surprising that the University of Ilorin has one of the fastest growing social media with over 40,000 likes on the official facebook page", stressing that the Directorate has synergy with the Directorate of Corporate Affairs to manage the different social media platforms which include, Twitter, Google+, Flickr and YouTube.

He added that the University uses the social media platforms to harvest feedbacks and querries that are collated, analysed and responded to accordingly.

He said that the social media as a modern public and social relations tool makes the University visible, improves communication with the global community and is a cheap and fast way to reach out to large clusters of people.

Prof. Ahmed attributed the ICT success in the University to the accountability and transparency of the management, explaining that the University has been able to manage its meagre resources for maximum impact.

He submitted that training, capacity development and good foundation are also part of the success strategy, while projecting that in the nearest future the University would be developing local content and integrate teaching and research into ICT.

The COMSIT Director described the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali (OON) as "a man with great passion for ICT", disclosing that the Vice-Chancellor is currently the Chairman of the ICT Committee appointed by the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVC). He stressed that it is a golden opportunity for the University of Ilorin to have an amiable leader who is visionary and anticipates modernity in the person of Prof. Ambali.

Prof. Ahmed pleaded with staff of the University to show understanding whenever they are experiencing downtimes as this could sometimes be from the Internet Service Provider (ISP). He, however, gave assurance that COMSIT would work round the clock to provide efficient service.