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SQI College of ICT has deployed a new private artificial intelligence and server infrastructure hosted in Nigeria, giving the institution greater control over its computing systems while creating a hands-on environment for students learning AI, software engineering, DevOps and cybersecurity.
The institution said the infrastructure is already operational and has been used to run its latest nationwide scholarship programme entirely on systems built, hosted and maintained by Nigerians in Nigeria.
The development is part of SQI’s broader investment in artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure and practical technology education as demand grows for locally controlled computing capacity.
Scholarship Platform Moves In-House
SQI has operated its annual scholarship programme since 2011, but the latest exercise marked a departure from its previous hosting arrangements.
The scholarship platform was built and managed entirely within the institution’s Nigeria-hosted infrastructure, allowing SQI to exercise direct control over computing resources, applicant information, system administration, security policies and recovery procedures.
The college said the move also reduces its reliance on third-party hosting providers.
Its scholarship programme has expanded access to technology education over the years, with SQI saying the initiative has trained and certified more than 20,000 young people.
Students Get Access to Real Infrastructure
Beyond running institutional systems, the new infrastructure is being positioned as a practical learning environment.
Authorised students and staff across SQI’s campuses can use the private cloud environment for AI development, application deployment, research collaboration, server administration and cybersecurity exercises.
From January 2027, students will also be able to host and test their web applications on the platform without paying additional hosting charges while they remain enrolled.
That means students can move beyond writing code in classroom environments to deploying applications on live servers, configuring databases, monitoring systems, examining logs, managing access controls and troubleshooting technical failures.
SQI Founder and President Adeyemi C. Aderinto said the objective is to ensure that students in fields such as DevOps, cybersecurity and server administration graduate with practical experience managing functioning systems rather than relying solely on classroom theory.
AI Research Gets Local Computing Capacity
The infrastructure will also support SQI’s work around artificial intelligence.
The institution said it will be able to fine-tune, test and deploy local AI models while keeping sensitive workloads and training data within an environment under its control.
The system is expected to support applied AI research and experimentation across academic departments, while also helping SQI prepare for the planned introduction of Artificial Intelligence within its Higher National Diploma programmes in 2027, subject to the required accreditation processes.
The infrastructure will support activities including AI model development, web application hosting, Linux and server administration, DevOps automation, containerisation, database management, network monitoring, authorised cybersecurity testing, identity management, system logging and backup and recovery.
Data Sovereignty Adds Context
SQI’s investment comes as Nigeria places increasing emphasis on domestic control of digital infrastructure and data.
The college pointed to a June 2026 directive from the Central Bank of Nigeria requiring banks, fintech companies and other licensed payment operators to ensure that payment transaction data generated in Nigeria is stored and managed within the country by January 1, 2027.
Although that requirement specifically covers the payments industry, SQI said it illustrates the wider need for Nigeria to develop both local infrastructure and the skilled professionals capable of operating it.
The institution also referenced the August 2026 Namecheap outage as a reminder that online services ultimately depend on physical infrastructure, including data centres, power, cooling, monitoring systems and competent technical personnel.
Building More Than Technology Consumers
For SQI, the project is also tied to a broader argument about Nigeria’s position in the global digital economy.
Aderinto said Nigeria cannot build a sustainable technology ecosystem by remaining primarily a consumer of infrastructure designed and operated elsewhere.
The college wants students to gain experience not only in developing applications but also in deploying, securing, maintaining and recovering the systems on which those applications depend.
The new infrastructure is therefore intended to connect SQI’s classroom training with real-world technology operations.
Campuses Connected to One Environment
Authorised users will be able to securely access the infrastructure from SQI campuses and other approved locations.
The institution’s physical campuses in Ogbomoso, Ibadan, Lagos, Abuja, Abeokuta and Osogbo, alongside its virtual learning community, will be connected to the environment, enabling students and staff in different locations to collaborate on technical and research projects.
SQI stressed that the system is primarily an educational, research and institutional platform, rather than a commercial hosting service. It is also not intended to replace the regulated production infrastructure required by banks, fintechs and payment service providers.
From Learning Technology to Building It
The deployment reflects SQI’s effort to make its own technology operations part of the learning experience it offers students.
The institution said the infrastructure will allow learners to encounter the practical challenges associated with running digital systems, including configuration, security, monitoring, troubleshooting and recovery.
The investment follows SQI’s 2026 Annual Scholarship Programme, themed “AI vs AI,” and forms part of its continued focus on AI, software engineering, cybersecurity and locally developed digital capabilities.
For Nigeria’s technology ecosystem, the development highlights a growing conversation around not just access to AI tools, but ownership of the infrastructure, skills and technical expertise required to build and operate them locally.
