The Department of Telecommunication Engineering was carved out of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering where it existed as an option in the year 2009. This was with the aim of placing emphasis by the university on Telecommunication Engineering studies as part of the core drivers of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). For Nigeria to key into this global trend, there was a need to build human capacity in every aspect of information and communication technology (ICT). The programme was housed in the School of Information and Communication Technology. After National University Commission accreditation visits, the University was instructed to move the department to the then School of Engineering and Engineering Technology. In the year 2018, the department became a part of the School of Electrical Engineering and Technology (SEET) following the splitting of the School of Engineering and Engineering Technology to accommodate emerging specialized disciplines in the field of Electrical and Electronics Engineering. The restructuring was geared towards raising human capacity that will be properly equipped to solve national and global problems in the field of Communications engineering.
The department is evolving to become a Center of Excellence in Communications Engineering Education for the benefit of mankind. It has helped to create job and wealth, reduce unemployment and poverty, and improve overall quality of life. The ongoing evolution will be achieved through pragmatic and dynamic training, teaching, research, and developmental community services of high standards that meet the demands of the society and that will stand the test of time.
The Telecommunication Engineering Department is one of the Four Departments of the School of Electrical Engineering and Technology (SEET), Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna created in 2009. This should be about the first stand-alone Department of Telecommunication Engineering in a Nigerian University. It was created through the foresight of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. M.S. Audu, who foresaw that ICT will become the master key in this phase of the world’s development, and that an in-depth knowledge of communications systems and techniques via research is invaluable in putting Nigeria on the world map. He therefore carved this Department out of the mother Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Together with Department of Computer engineering and Mechatronics Engineering. This is to enable deeper concentration on Communications, Mechatronics and Computer engineering studies, these being the core drivers of ICT systems.
The Department offers courses that lead to B. Eng. in Telecommunication Engineering, while M. Eng. and PhD Degrees in Communications Engineering. The department has a policy of admitting high-quality students in her programmes, so as to produce quality graduates that will form a reliable backbone for knowledge-based economy driven by ICT. The Department leverages on extensive collaborations that the University has established with other Universities both within and outside the country to source top quality personnel for teaching of courses and supervision of PG students’ researches. The University is also investing heavily on laboratory equipment. The department is determined to produce ICT products that are saleable in the ICT world-market.
Vision
The Department of Telecommunications Engineering at Federal University of Technology Minna is structured to be a Center of Excellence in Telecommunications engineering education for the benefit of mankind.
Mission
The Department of Telecommunication Engineering will build capacity and develop human capital to high levels through pragmatic and dynamic training, research and developmental community services of high standards in the field of telecommunications engineering that meet the demands of the society and will stand the test of time.
Professor Abraham U. Usman is a highly motivated and dedicated teacher, with over twenty-three (23) years teaching experience in Electrical and Electronics with specialization in Electronics and Communication Engineering. He is an Associate Professor of Communication Engineering and Head of department.
He obtained his B.Eng. in Electrical & Computer Engineering from Federal University of Technology, Minna in 1998, M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Lagos, Nigeria in 2002 and Ph.D in Communication Engineering from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi Nigeria in 2014. He was the pioneer Deputy Dean of School of Electrical Engineering and Technology between 2017-2021. Dr Abraham is a member of Nigerian Society of Engineers (MNSE), and a registered Engineer with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN). He has published several papers in national/international journals and conferences.
Specialization
Antenna and mobile radio propagation, wireless communication systems and digital electronics. His research interest includes Radio propagation modelling, Mobile radio resource utilization, Antenna and RF design, Indoor and Outdoor wireless communication, teletraffics and application of Artificial Intelligent techniques in Wireless communication.
The department regularly participates in exhibitions and competitions organised within and outside the university.
UNDERGRADUATE
Students seeking admission into the Undergraduate program of the Department must fulfill the following requirements:
UTME
The requirements are 5 O Level credits in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, English Language and a science subject (which maybe Biology, Further Mathematics, Agricultural science) as well as a high aggregate score in the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Examination.
DIRECT ENTRY
These direct-entry requirements are in addition to the O Level grades stipulated in (UTME) above. Also, direct entry students must take and pass the General Studies courses offered at 100 and 200 Levels.
DURATION OF THE PROGRAMME
The programme runs for a minimum of three (5) academic sessions (100 to 500 levels), and maximum of seven and half sessions for UTME students whilst DE students are required to spend minimum of four (4) academic sessions (200 to 500 levels), and maximum of six academic sessions.
Postgraduate
MASTERS
A candidate seeking admission into the postgraduate programme is expected to satisfy the following conditions:
Five O’Level/SSSE/NECO credit passes in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, English and any other relevant science subject in not more than two sittings, and any of the following:
(a) Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.) degree of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, in Electrical and Computer Engineering with at least a Second Class Lower Division; or
(b) B.Eng or B.Sc. degree in Electrical, Electronics or Computer Engineering from any other University recognized by the Senate of Federal University of Technology, Minna with at least a Second Class Lower Division; or
(c) Any of (a) and (b) above but with a Third Class degree and a minimum of three (3) years of relevant post-graduation experience may be considered, subject to performance in a qualifying examination; or
(d) Higher National Diploma (HND) in Electrical/Electronics/Telecommunication/Computer Engineering and Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) in Electrical and Computer Engineering of the Federal University of Technology, Minna with a minimum CGPA of 3.5.
DURATION OF THE PROGRAMME
The programme runs for a minimum of three (3) semesters, comprising two semesters of course-work, followed by one semester of Graduate Project work. The maximum duration allowed for the programme is six (6) semesters.
PhD
Applicants for the Ph.D programme in Communications Engineering are expected to satisfy any of the following conditions:
(a) M.Eng. in Electronics, Communication and Computer Engineering of the Federal University of Technology, Minna with a minimum CGPA of 3.5.
(b) M.Sc., M.Eng., M.Phil, or equivalent in Electronics/Communication/Computer Engineering from any other university recognized by the Senate of Federal University of Technology, Minna with a minimum CGPA of 3.5 on a scale of 5.00. In exceptional cases candidates with Master degree in related fields maybe considered for admission.
DURATION OF THE PROGRAMME
Full-time: Six semesters as minimum, ten semesters maximum.
Part-time: Ten semesters minimum, fourteen semesters maximum
Research Work Publications (ISI and Scopus Indexed): Research activities are currently ongoing in the department and it is anchored by both staff and graduate students in the department. Sample publications which are output of research activities by staff and graduate students in the department are presented below. It is important to note that some of the staff members are graduate students in other universities of the world outside FUT Minna. Over 70 articles have been published in reputable national and international conference proceedings and journals indexed by in ISI and Scopus.
Research Grant: The department has won grants that worth over 60 Million Naira to the university.
Collaboration: The department is in collaboration with various academic and research institutions inside and outside the country. Such include NITDA – National Information Technology Development Agency, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and other private telecommunication companies in Nigeria.
Photo Gallery showing Department of Telecommunication Exhibition Stand, Industrial Visit and staff photos are presented below.
Some students presenting during the 4th National Engineering Students competition 2019
