By: Waheed Ogunjobi
In partnership with ATIRC, MTN, Huawei and itel Energy, the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta recently launched an enterprise-grade network to drive research, innovation and entrepreneurship. The Business Package takes a critical look at the defining infrastructure. Excerpts.
THE COMMISSIONING
On Thursday, July 30, 2026, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, MAPOLY, Abeokuta, in partnership with the Advanced Technological Incubation and Research Centre, ATIRC, officially commissioned Nigeria’s first enterprise-grade 10 Gigabits-per-second Dedicated Smart Campus Network and Innovation Program.
The event, themed “Accelerating Nigeria’s Digital Economy,” was attended by top government officials, captains of industry, development partners, technology experts, researchers, innovators, students, and members of the media.
The project forms part of MAPOLY Management’s ongoing efforts to reposition the institution as a leading technology-driven polytechnic.
WHAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERS.
This is not a conventional campus network upgrade. The 10Gbps dedicated broadband delivers internet speeds of up to 10,000 megabits per second. It provides secure, reliable, and ultra-low-latency connectivity capable of supporting thousands of simultaneous users.
According to ATIRC, the infrastructure was specifically designed to support:
Advanced research : AI, Machine Learning, High-Performance Computing, Data Science, Cybersecurity simulations, Robotics, IoT; Digital learning: Cloud-based teaching, smart classrooms, virtual laboratories, digital libraries, AR/VR experiences
- Innovation and entrepreneurship: Startup incubation, product testing, validation, and commercialization
- Global collaboration: Seamless research links with institutions worldwide
FROM CONNECTIVITY TO CAPABILITY
The 10Gbps network delivers speeds of up to *
10,000Mbps with ultra-low latency. It is built to support thousands of simultaneous users and data-intensive work.
This means MAPOLY students can now run *AI models, cloud computing, cybersecurity simulations, robotics, IoT, AR/VR labs, and HPC research* — the same tools used in Stanford, Singapore Polytechnic, and universities in Dubai.
The Polytechnic community is already benefiting from pilot deployment of the network across academic and administrative activities.
THE GLOBAL CONTEXT: THE CLUB MAPOLY IS JOINING
Across the world, leading universities have invested in high-capacity digital infrastructure to support AI research, advanced computing, and technology commercialization.
- USA & UK: MIT, Stanford, Oxford and Cambridge operate 100Gbps research backbones
- Singapore & South Korea: Public polytechnics run 10Gbps-40Gbps smart campuses for AI and fintech labs
- UAE & Saudi Arabia: Smart university cities built on dedicated fibre to attract R&D
With this deployment, MAPOLY becomes the first public tertiary institution in Nigeria, and the first in Sub-Saharan Africa, to commission an enterprise-grade 10Gbps Smart Campus Network.
It demonstrates that African higher education institutions can leverage world-class digital infrastructure to advance educational excellence and national development.
WHY IT MATTERS: BEYOND CONNECTIVITY
Management says the initiative is not merely about faster internet. It is about creating a national platform where education, research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and industry converge.
For Students and Youths
Through access to enterprise-grade infrastructure, students and young innovators will develop practical digital competencies, entrepreneurial capabilities, and research skills required for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The network removes connectivity limitations that have long hindered digital scholarship.
For Higher Education
At the centre is ATIRC, a multidisciplinary ecosystem designed to bridge academic knowledge and practical technological solutions. The ATIRC Innovation Program will provide mentorship, research support, and industry collaboration to transform research outcomes into products and jobs.
For National Development.
The project aligns with the Federal Government’s Digital Economy Agenda. It is expected to stimulate indigenous innovation, strengthen university-industry partnerships, attract research collaborations, and improve Nigeria’s competitiveness.
WHAT STAKEHOLDERS SAID
Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, OMOYAYI, Chairman, Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity | Representing Ogun State Government said :“The future of our nation lies in strategic investments in digital infr astructure, innovation, and human capital development.” He announced the donation of 25 laptops to kick-start MAPOLY’s Artificial Intelligence Centre and urged students to use the facility for research, digital skills, and entrepreneurship.
Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola, OFR
Keynote Speaker, Former Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK"You now have the tools that your counterparts in Lagos, London, Nairobi possess. Bandwidth without ambition produces nothing.” He described the project as “infrastructure as diplomacy” and called on the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy to replicate the MAPOLY model nationwide. “We are not merely commissioning cables, routers and servers today. We are commissioning possibility.”
Oba Saka Adelola Matemilola, Olowu of Owu Kingdom noted the widening gap between academia and industry and said the MAPOLY-ATIRC project is designed to bridge it through practical learning, research, and commercialization.
Arc. Dr. ‘Koye Jolaoso, Rector, MAPOLY, the man in the eye of the public assured of dedicated ICT personnel and cybersecurity measures to sustain and protect the infrastructure.
Mr. Khalil Balogun, Director, ATIRC
Said the Innovation Program will provide a collaborative environment for students, researchers, startups, government, and industry to develop solutions to local and global challenges.
MTN, Nigeria.
Mr. Adewale Sulaimon, GM Network Enterprise, MTN Nigeria described it as “the fastest internet WiFi infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa.”
Mr. Temitope Afolabi, SUG President, MAPOLY called it “a game changer for connectivity, academic excellence and the institution’s vision of a smart, technology-driven campus.”
PARTNERS AND THE ROAD AHEAD
The successful implementation was made possible through strategic collaboration with MTN Nigeria, Huawei Technologies, and itel Energy. Mapoluy Management says the Smart Campus Network will strengthen digital teaching, enable advanced research, support startup incubation, enhance cybersecurity, and expand collaboration among universities, government, and the private sector.
The long-term expectation is to produce graduates equipped with digital knowledge, technical competence, and an entrepreneurial mindset to lead Nigeria’s knowledge-based economy.
THE BOTTOM LINE
For decades, Nigerian higher education has been defined by infrastructure deficits.
On July 30, MAPOLY made a different statement. By deploying enterprise-grade digital infrastructure, it has created a scalable model other tertiary institutions can emulate.
The tools are now in place. The challenge now is what students, researchers, and innovators will build with them.
The Business Package
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