The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) has launched its first liaison office in Africa, located in Lagos, Nigeria’s economic and business center. This new office aims to streamline admission processes and provide various services to prospective African students.
The office was established in partnership with Cavista Holdings, led by John Olajide, a UTD alumnus.
Founded in 1961 as a research division of Texas Instruments, UTD has evolved into a prominent public university, serving over 31,000 students across seven schools.
At the office’s opening in Ilupeju, Lagos, Olajide emphasized UTD’s commitment to nurturing young African talent and preparing them to become leaders and experts in their fields.
“The UTD is one of the top institutions in the world. The university played a key role in developing my potential, and I feel other Africans can benefit from it,” said Olajide.
Richard Benson, president of UTD, also speaks: “We want to educate and groom talents around the world, especially Africa. UTD is deep in research and provides education for global impact.”
On his part, Abubakar Suleiman, managing director/CEO, Sterling Bank, emphasised the place of quality education in the task of building Africa, especially Nigeria where funding remains a challenge to the government.
Suleiman said if Africa must overcome most of its challenges, investment in education must be prioritised both by the government and the private sector. “That’s why we’re involved as a bank,” he noted.