FUTO Joins Regional Cisco Conference on Digital Skills, Instructor Development

The Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) joined the 2026 English West and Central Africa Instructor Safari Conference in Abuja, a regional forum for strengthening digital skills education and supporting the professional development of instructors and administrators within the Cisco Networking Academy network.

The two-day conference, held from Wednesday, October 21, to Thursday, October 22, was themed “Empowering and Supporting Cisco Networking Academy Instructors and Administrators.”

Representing FUTO were the Acting Head of the Department of Information Technology, and Cisco Academy Manager/Instructor, Engr. Dr. Emmanuel C. Amadi; and a Cisco Academy Instructor in the Department of Software Engineering, Dr. Chinomso Okoronkwo.

Organised by Cisco Networking Academy in partnership with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the conference attracted Cisco Academy instructors and managers from English-speaking West and Central Africa to explore developments in networking education, instructor development, and digital technology training.

Key focus areas of the conference include international training programmes, professional development for instructors, globally recognised certifications, technical competitions, grants and funding opportunities, as well as participation in international networking and cybersecurity communities.

The conference also provided a platform for participants to explore institutional partnerships, knowledge exchange, joint research and engagement in Cisco-led initiatives.

These opportunities are projected to help participating academies strengthen instructional capacity, expand access to modern learning resources, and better prepare students for careers in networking, cybersecurity, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technology fields.

It would be recalled, FUTO has an ongoing collaboration with Cisco, operationalised through the FUTO Cisco Academy. Established in 2019, the Academy, currently headed by Engr. Prof. Mrs. Gloria Chukwudebe, provides hands-on training in computer networking, cybersecurity, and information technology through university-industry collaboration. Its programmes are designed to develop skilled personnel for ICT-driven industries.

FUTO's participation in the regional Cisco conference highlights the University administration's commitment to strengthening digital education, aligning its ICT training with global standards, and expanding opportunities for professional development and industry-relevant skills for staff and students.