The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has committed N6billion to the establishment of Information and Communication Technology Experience Centres across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to strengthen digital skills and human capital development in tertiary institutions.
The Chairman of the TETFund Board of Trustees, Aminu Masari, disclosed this during the commissioning of the Southeast Zonal ICT Experience Centre at the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State.
The facility was formally commissioned by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as part of the Renewed Hope Initiative.
Masari said the TETFund Board had approved N1billion for each of the six geopolitical zones, with selected universities, polytechnics and colleges of education benefiting from the intervention.
He said the centres were designed to equip students and lecturers with practical digital skills in areas including artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, robotics and software development.
‘The Board of Trustees recognised the need to align Nigeria’s education system with emerging global technological and industry standards,’ Masari said.
He said the intervention would enhance graduate employability, foster innovation and position Nigeria to participate more effectively in the global technology-driven economy.
Masari urged the management of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, to ensure proper maintenance and security of the facility and regularly upgrade its equipment to keep pace with technological developments.
The centre is expected to provide students, lecturers and other beneficiaries with practical skills in digital literacy, software development, data science, multimedia, online learning, entrepreneurship and emerging technologies, including AI.
Inaugurating the facility, Sen Tinubu expressed appreciation for the opportunity to participate in the project and prayed for its continued impact on the institution and future generations.
‘I’m really honoured to do this and I pray that God continues to bless this community and generations ongoing. Amen,’ she said.
The commissioning was held alongside the launch of the National Community Food Bank Programme for the zone.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, described the ICT centre as an investment in people and the future of the country rather than merely physical infrastructure.
‘For us, the Centre represents much more than a physical facility. It is an investment in people; an investment in possibilities; and, ultimately, an investment in the future of Nigeria,’ he said.
Echono said greater access to digital learning, innovation and technology would enable young Nigerians to turn ideas into solutions, skills into livelihoods and aspirations into opportunities.
He said the intervention was consistent with TETFund’s commitment to human capital development and the development of a knowledge-driven economy.
‘We are therefore honoured to partner with the Renewed Hope Initiative in advancing an agenda that recognises our youth as not merely beneficiaries of development, but as principal actors in shaping Nigeria’s future,’ Echono said.
He added that TETFund would continue to ensure that the ICT Experience Centres achieved their objectives of expanding digital inclusion, nurturing talent and creating new opportunities for Nigerian youths.
Echono said the ICT initiative and the food bank programme reflected the central objective of the Renewed Hope Agenda of placing people at the centre of development.
He described the food bank programme as a response to the needs of vulnerable Nigerians facing economic pressures, while the ICT centre would help equip young people with the digital knowledge and skills required to compete in an increasingly technology-driven world.
The Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Dr Chioma Awuzie, described the commissioning as a landmark achievement for the institution and an affirmation of the First Lady’s commitment to empowering Nigerian youths through education, technology and innovation.
Awuzie said the ICT Experience Centre, alongside the Chemical Engineering Building and Students’ Examination Centre, demonstrated the impact of TETFund interventions at the polytechnic.
She said the centre would provide students with access to digital skills, employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, educational resources, technology, innovation and networking.
According to her, the facility would also bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical technological experience by equipping students with competencies required to thrive in the 21st-century economy.
‘The world is increasingly driven by technology, artificial intelligence, digital skills, innovation and knowledge. Our youths must therefore be equipped not merely to participate, but to excel and lead,’ she said.