National Universities Commission (NUC) has secured a €38 million credit facility from the French Government to advance digital transformation across 10 federal universities in Nigeria, under the Blueprint-ICT-Dev Project.
The project which was formally launched on Tuesday in Abuja is funded through the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) with the aim to upgrade digital infrastructure and strengthen ICT capabilities in ten universities spread across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
The benefiting universities include the University of Calabar (South South), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (South East), University of Ibadan (South West), Federal University of Technology, Minna (North Central), and University of Maiduguri (North East). Others are Bayero University, Kano (North West), Modibbo Adama University, Yola (North East), Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (South West), Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (South East), and the University of Jos (North Central).
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa who described the effort as a transformative leap for the country’s tertiary education sector, noted that the programme would improve educational data systems, boost teacher capacity, and promote digital literacy alongside flexible learning and community engagement initiatives..
Alausa who commended the French Government and the AFD for their commitment, said it and aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which focuses on innovation, educational reform, and human capital development.
According to him, the project would integrate Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and entrepreneurship into university curricula, enhance research frameworks, and help institutions achieve global competitiveness.
He said: “With the Blueprint-ICT-Dev Project, we have a golden opportunity to enhance teacher training, improve content delivery through digital platforms, and enable continuous professional development.
“I urge the universities selected for this project to serve as centres of excellence for teacher innovation and instructional design, equipping educators with 21st-century tools and pedagogical skills.”
NUC Executive Secretary Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu said the project was conceived to foster digital transformation and innovation, while strengthening higher education delivery in the post-pandemic era.
Ribadu explained that the selected universities would receive enhanced ICT infrastructure and support to build capacity for technology-enabled teaching, research, and institutional management.
He encouraged institutions to digitise administrative processes and make use of the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN), describing ICT as key to advancing academic governance and performance.
French Ambassador to Nigeria, Marc Fonbaustier, described the Blueprint initiative as “a decisive leap forward in Nigeria’s pursuit of inclusive, innovative, and future-ready education.”
While hailing the leadership of the Ministry of Education, NUC, and participating universities, he said the project’s broader significance was an investment in people, systems, and institutional capacity.
AFD Country Director Xavier Muron said the programme was relevant to AFD’s mission of strengthening higher education, nurturing digital skills, and promoting institutional reforms.
According to him, the initiative was designed through local collaboration and affirmed AFD’s ongoing financial and technical support to sustain the programme’s long-term impact.
“This project is more than a milestone, it is a reflection of our shared vision to develop ICT-driven solutions that serve both academic and socio-economic goals,” he said.
