FG expands digital skills drive to 15 more universities with ICT centres

• First Lady: Centre represents opportunity, innovation, knowledge, hope for Nigerian youths

• TETFund: Facilities to train youths in AI, cybersecurity, robotics

• AbdulRazaq: Varsities must move beyond producing graduates to creating solutions

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The Federal Government has unveiled plans to extend its digital skills and innovation drive to 15 additional tertiary institutions across the country, as it moves to equip Nigerian youths with skills in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics and other emerging technologies.

The expansion was announced on Tuesday at the commissioning of a TETFund/Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) ICT Experience Centre at Kwara State University, Malete, according to a statement issued by Special Assistant to the President on Media and ICT, Office of the Vice President, Kwapchi Hamman.

The Kwara centre is one of six ICT Experience Centres being established in tertiary institutions across the six geopolitical zones under the pilot phase of the intervention.

The initiative, championed by First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu, through the Renewed Hope Initiative in collaboration with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), is aimed at expanding access to technology-driven learning and preparing young Nigerians for the demands of the digital economy.

The First Lady, represented at the commissioning by the wife of the Vice President, Nana Shettima, described the centre as a facility that represents “opportunity, innovation, knowledge, and hope” for young people in Kwara State and beyond.

She said the intervention was in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly its focus on youth empowerment, education, innovation and economic transformation.

According to her, the facility was designed to provide students with a modern environment for learning, creativity, research and technological advancement, with ICT laboratories, interactive digital displays, conference facilities and exhibition spaces.

She disclosed that the next phase would cover 15 tertiary institutions in Adamawa, Bayelsa, Borno, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Imo, Katsina, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Rivers, Yobe and Zamfara states.

She said construction was already ongoing at the institutions selected for the second phase, stressing that the expansion reflected the administration’s determination to ensure that Nigerian youths, regardless of their location, have access to digital learning and innovation opportunities.

The First Lady urged students to take ownership of the facility and maximise the opportunities it offers, charging them to deploy technology positively in transforming their lives, communities and the country.

She also commended the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of TETFund, Rt Hon Aminu Bello Masari, and the management of the fund for collaborating with the Renewed Hope Initiative and investing in infrastructure and human capital development in tertiary institutions.

She equally praised the Vice-Chancellor and management of Kwara State University for their support towards the successful completion of the project.

She expressed confidence that the centre would be properly managed, maintained and effectively utilised for the benefit of present and future generations of students.

Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, said the facility represented a strategic investment in Nigeria’s digital future, stressing that it would provide young Nigerians with critical skills needed to compete in a rapidly changing global economy.

Echono, represented by the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Architect Olajide Babatunde, said the intervention would expose students to artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics and other emerging technologies.

He said the collaboration with the Renewed Hope Initiative was designed to bridge the digital skills gap, improve graduate employability and bring Nigeria’s education system closer to global technological demands.

Echono stressed that the role of tertiary institutions could no longer be restricted to conventional classroom learning, given the speed of technological advancement and the changing requirements of the labour market.

Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, challenged the university to turn the new facility into a platform for innovation, job creation and practical solutions to societal problems.

He said universities must go beyond producing graduates to generating ideas capable of improving the lives of citizens.

He thanked the First Lady for facilitating the intervention through the Renewed Hope Initiative and commended TETFund for its investment in Kwara State University.

The wife of the Kwara State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Olufolake Abdulrazaq, described the centre as a major opportunity for young Nigerians to acquire functional digital skills.

She said the project would help ensure that young men and women in the state were not left behind in the ongoing digital revolution.

According to her, the intervention would break barriers to acquiring functional skills and create opportunities for young people to learn, thrive and lay the foundation for future success.

She urged the beneficiaries to make effective use of the centre and maximise the opportunities created by the initiative.

The Vice-Chancellor of Kwara State University, Malete, Shaykh-Luqman Jimoh, expressed appreciation to the First Lady for selecting the institution for the intervention, describing the centre as a significant investment in the future of Nigeria.

Jimoh said the project had brought renewed hope to Malete while strengthening the relationship between the university and its host community.

He added that the facility would enhance research, promote entrepreneurship and encourage greater participation of the surrounding community in the university’s activities.

The Kwara State University centre is the latest among the facilities delivered under the pilot phase.

Similar centres have already been commissioned at Ekiti State University on May 30, University of Cross River State on September 4 and Anambra State Polytechnic on September 10, 2026.

The centres at Kaduna State University and Taraba State University have also been completed and are awaiting commissioning.

The commissioning ceremony was followed by a tour of the facility by Hajiya Nana Shettima and other dignitaries.