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• Will land in Kaduna, Taraba, other institutions soon
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The digital transformation train of Nigeria’s tertiary education sector has berthed at Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, Kwara State, with the inauguration of a multimillion-naira ICT Experience Centre designed to expose students and lecturers to emerging technologies, and provide a platform for learning, research, creativity and innovation.
The facility, delivered through the partnership between the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), was part of a broader intervention aimed at taking Nigerian tertiary institutions into the digital age.
Its commissioning by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, represented by the wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shettima, has also opened another chapter in the Federal Government’s effort to expand access to technology and digital skills among young Nigerians.
The First Lady disclosed that the ICT Experience Centre programme was being extended to 15 additional tertiary institutions across the country, with construction already ongoing in Adamawa, Bayelsa, Borno, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Imo, Katsina, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Rivers, Yobe and Zamfara states.
For TETFund, the KWASU facility is not simply another physical structure but part of a deliberate intervention to equip Nigerian students and lecturers with skills required to remain relevant in a rapidly changing technological environment.
A CENTRE BUILT AROUND OPPORTUNITY
Speaking at the commissioning, the First Lady described the KWASU centre as a symbol of opportunity, innovation, knowledge and hope for young people in Kwara State and beyond.
“The centre we are commissioning today represents opportunity, innovation, knowledge and hope for the future of young people in Kwara State and beyond,” she said.
The First Lady said the initiative demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to advancing education and digital inclusion, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda’s emphasis on youth empowerment, education, innovation and economic transformation.
“The facility itself reflects that objective. Designed as a modern technology centre, it is equipped with ICT laboratories, interactive digital displays, conference facilities and exhibition spaces.
“These facilities are expected to create an environment where students can learn beyond conventional classroom instruction, experience deeper interactions with technology, explore ideas and develop solutions,” she said.
The President’s wife noted that KWASU was one of six tertiary institutions initially selected for the pilot phase of the programme, with one institution representing each of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
“The pilot scheme was conceived as a way of ensuring that the benefits of the intervention were distributed across the country, rather than concentrated in one region. But with the subsequent expansion to 15 more institutions, the digital intervention is now moving beyond the initial pilot beneficiaries,” she said.
TETFUND’S N1BN-PER-CENTRE INTERVENTION
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc Sonny Echono, represented at the event by the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Arc Olajide Babatunde, stated that the scale of the intervention is reflected in the resources committed to it.
He disclosed that the TETFund Board had approved an ICT Experience Centre for each of the six geopolitical zones. Each centre, he said, was being delivered at an estimated cost of about N1 billion.
“The investment underscores the importance being attached to digital infrastructure as part of TETFund’s intervention in the tertiary education sector,” he explained.
Echono explained that the centres were designed specifically to equip students and lecturers with critical digital skills in emerging fields, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics and software development.
“As technology continues to transform economies, the Board of Trustees recognised the need to align Nigeria’s education system with emerging global technology and industrial standards,” he said.
The intervention, therefore, was designed not merely to provide computers and other ICT equipment but to create spaces where beneficiaries can acquire practical competencies and understand how emerging technologies can be applied to real-world challenges.
FROM AI TO AGRICULTURE, HEALTHCARE, SECURITY
TETFund said the potential application of the facilities extend well beyond the walls of the university, stressing that beneficiaries will be exposed to contemporary technologies and their applications across sectors including security, agriculture, healthcare, media and mining.
“That broad application is significant because technology is increasingly becoming a common denominator across virtually every aspect of economic and social development.
“A student interested in software development could use the facility to acquire practical skills; another student interested in artificial intelligence could explore its applications; researchers could also use the environment to develop new ideas; while entrepreneurs could use the knowledge and facilities to turn ideas into products and services.
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“The ultimate expectation is that such exposure will enhance graduate employability while also encouraging innovation,” Echono said.
For TETFund, the project represents another dimension of its intervention mandate, providing infrastructure that does not merely support education but also contributes to the development of the human capital needed to drive the economy.
Echono, however, described the KWASU centre as one of the foremost ICT Experience Centres being delivered across the country and the third to be commissioned in 2026.
“The facility is appropriately furnished and fully air-conditioned, with supporting power and municipal infrastructure. Beyond providing the equipment, it offers a conducive environment for acquiring practical competencies, exploring ideas and developing innovative solutions,” he said.
FROM PILOT PHASE TO NATIONAL EXPANSION
The KWASU commissioning also provided an indication of the direction of the programme.
The First Lady reiterated that the Federal Government had already commenced construction of similar facilities in 15 other states, thus signalling an expansion that will take the intervention to more tertiary institutions.
The states are Adamawa, Bayelsa, Borno, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Imo, Katsina, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Rivers, Yobe and Zamfara.
She also disclosed that a few centres had already been commissioned in other geopolitical zones, while those at Kaduna State University and Taraba State University would soon be commissioned.
“The spread of the programme was intended to increase the number of young Nigerians who can access modern digital infrastructure within their institutions.
“For a country with a large and youthful student population, expanding such opportunities could provide more students with exposure to technologies that are rapidly changing the nature of work,” she said
The First Lady, however, maintained that the intervention reflects the Federal Government’s broader emphasis on digital inclusion, ensuring that students are not left behind as technology increasingly determines opportunities in education, employment and entrepreneurship.
She told the students that, “this centre has been established for you. At the heart of the programme are you, the students. So, take ownership of the facility and make maximum use of the opportunities it provides. This centre was built and equipped to help you learn, innovate, develop solutions and unlock your full potential,” she said.
She challenged them to use technology positively to transform their lives, communities and Nigeria. “The centre is expected to become a place where students experiment, acquire skills, collaborate, conduct research and develop ideas that could eventually translate into solutions to societal problems. That responsibility also extends to the university management.”
Echono thus urged KWASU management to take full ownership of the facility, ensure that its equipment was properly maintained and secured, and regularly update it in line with technological advancements.
The emphasis on maintenance is important because technology infrastructure can rapidly become obsolete without continuous upgrades.
AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE OF NIGERIA
For KWASU, the arrival of the ICT Experience Centre represents a major addition to the university’s academic and technological infrastructure.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Shaykh-Luqman Jimoh, described the centre as a strategic investment in human capital, innovation and entrepreneurship.
He said the facility represented vision, belief and an investment in the Nigerian youth to better shape the future of our nation.
Jimoh expressed appreciation to the First Lady for facilitating the intervention, saying the project demonstrated that the Federal Government recognised the potential of Nigerian students and was prepared to invest in the knowledge, skills and technologies required to enable them compete in a rapidly changing world.
“This centre is an investment in human capital, in innovation, in entrepreneurship, and most importantly, it is an investment in the future of Nigeria,” he said.
The Vice-Chancellor assured that the university would put the facility to maximum use for the benefit of students, researchers and the wider university community. “We will use it, we will explore it, experiment in it, learn and innovate in it,” he said.
With TETFund committing about N1 billion to each of the six geopolitical-zone centres and the Federal Government expanding the programme to 15 additional institutions, the digital transformation train is clearly gathering momentum.
For KWASU, the train has now arrived. The task ahead is to ensure that students and researchers climb aboard and make the most of the opportunities it brings.
