Communications Minister Pantami becomes Professor of cybersecurity

Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, has been promoted to a Professor of Cybersecurity.

Pantami is among seven Readers (Associate Professors) elevated by the Governing Council of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) at its 186th meeting.

Others are Dr. Lawence Ettu (Civil Engineering), Dr. Godfrey Emeghara (Maritime Management Technology), Dr. Okechukwu Onyelucheya (Chemical Engineering), Dr. Alex Opara (Geology), Dr. Conrad Enenebeaku (Chemistry) and Dr. Chikwendu Okereke (Geology).

The Council also approved the recommendation of the Academic Staff Appointment and Promotions Committee (Professorial) for the promotion of nine senior lecturers to Readers and two senior university librarians to Deputy University Librarians.

Pantami, who recently bagged the Security and Emergency Management Award (SAEMA) on Cybersecurity, had lectured on ICT at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi.

In 2014, he joined the Islamic University of Madinah as Head of Technical Writing. In 2016, he was appointed Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

A professorial title is handed to individuals who have shown leadership and exceptional contribution at national and international levels in research, scholarship, teaching/mentorship and learning.

A senior lecturer at FUTO tells PRNigeria that Pantami already indicated that he would not receive remuneration because of his current position.

"The professorship is not a theory, but a practical aspect; an expert with the ability to profess his expertise in his field/profession.

“The procedure for appointment and conferment of a professor is annual and include an application by suitably qualified individuals through recruitment or promotion.

“The application is internally assessed by a panel of assessors (mostly professors), including relevant members of a university's senate standing committee of Appointment and Promotion.

“The university communicates to the applicant his/her appointment as professor subject to a positive assessment of External Academic Assessors, usually three, one of which may be a reputable professor in Europe or North America.

“These external assessors are independent of the applicant and are of professorial standing in a discipline related to the applicant’s core research and academic interest.

“The referees must not have supervised or collaborated with the applicant on any research/scholarly projects, and must not be related whatsoever to the applicant", the lecturer added.