By Mahdi Waziri Isa
The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Transportation, Daura, Prof. Umar Adam Katsayal, has advocated for sustainable transportation education as a pathway to Africa’s green economy.
Professor Katsayal stated this while presenting a paper at the 3rd Africa Education Summit in Zimbabwe, titled “Sustainable Transportation Education: A Pathway to Africa’s Green Economy.”
He emphasized that transportation education is crucial for driving innovation and development in Africa.
A statement by the Chief Information and Communications Officer of the University, Mal Umar Usman, said the Vice-chancellor, alongside the University’s Director of Academic Planning and Monitoring, Prof. Abubakar Ahmed, were amongst the hundreds of delegates who attended the 3rd Africa Education Summit that took place at Elephant Hills Hotel, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
The iconic Victoria Falls is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for the largest water fall in the world and a hub for adventure activities and wildlife viewing, which the organisers considered ideal to host this year’s summit.
The submit was organised by the Global Skills Hub, United Kingdom and the Africa Education Stakeholders in partnership with the Government of Zimbabwe and supported by the Lion Outreach International.
The VC, FUTD had presented a paper today, Saturday, 5th April, 2025, titled “SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION EDUCATION: A Pathway to Africa’s Green Economy.”
The summit which commenced on Thursday, 3rd April, 2025 was declared opened yesterday, Friday, 4th April, 2025 by the Zimbabwen President and Head of State and Government of Zimbabwe, His Excellency, Cmrd. Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa and featured dynamic seasoned educators, captains of institutions, policymakers, professionals and NGOs, led by globally renowned speakers on sub- theme, including the Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Transportation, Daura.
The summit was a premier platform, uniting distinguished leaders in education, policymakers, education funders, development partners and thought leaders dedicated to transforming the future of education across the continent.
The approach of this year’s summit was themed “Translating our Educational Advancement to Continental Development: A Strategic Approach.”
The summit was not just a gathering of like minds but a consolidated initiatives aimed at equipping the continent of Africa with its desired future leaders.
It was further expected to serve as a platform for knowledge sharing, strategic partnerships, and a united effort to advance educational excellence across Africa.
The Zimbabwen President, in his Keynote Address called on delegates to centre the discussion on innovation and promote articulated ideas that would move Africa by African themselves.
“The Summit must proffer solutions that will enable developmental progress across the African continent by African and further reshape our educational system to harness our youth for the betterment of Africa”, he said.
He further called on the delegates to work concertedly to convert our schools to incubators of innovators to create jobs not only to speak English, a language that their forefathers did not speak, affirming that the current African leaders are ready to give all the necessary supports for the teaming African children access to education and good life.
As the pioneer Vice-Chancellor of the first University of Transportation in Nigeria and Africa, Hon. Prof. Umar Adam Katsayal, mni had since started making efforts to increase the visibility of the young University among African countries and beyond, thereby providing equal opportunities for all and sundry to study at the University.
During his presentation, he used the opportunity to showcase the specialized nature of the University and the courses the University offers being it the first of its kind in Africa so that African countries could be made aware of the opportunities that are provided by the University to their own advantages.
It could be recalled that the Vice-Chancellor had in December, 2023 attended a Russia – Africa summit in Russia where a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on the establishment of Public Professional Association of Technical Universities in which he played a very significant role.
He had also in the same December, 2023, attended the 1st International Workshop and Study Tour at Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China in June, 2024, attended an International Science Popularization Roundtable Discussion where 17 developing countries and leaders from 7 Chinese academic associations were represented.
To also start the University on the right footings, the Vice-Chancellor had signed MoU on behalf of the University with Deqing Association for Geospatial Information Professionals, China in the field of Geospatial and Technology, Training and Applications and Russian University of Transportation, among others.
Locally, the Vice-Chancellor, Hon. Prof. Umar Adam Katsayal, mni had undertaken many visitations to relevant MDAs such as the NCC, NIMASA, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NITT, NTI, NCAT, NRC, among others; with the aim of linking the University with relevant stakeholders, regulatiors and practitioners in the field of transportation industry for a rapid growth and development of the young University.
As a result of these visitations, the University had signed MoUs with Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Federal Polytechnic, Daura, Sustainable Procurement and Social Standards Enhancement Centre of Excellence (SPESSECE), ABU, Zaria, and many others.