The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has committed N6 billion to establish Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Experience Centres across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to equip students and lecturers with digital skills required in a technology-driven economy.
The initiative received a boost on Thursday with the commissioning of the South-East Zonal ICT Experience Centre at the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State, by First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu.
The facility, established under the Renewed Hope Initiative, is designed 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 Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Commissioning the centre, Mrs Tinubu expressed appreciation for the opportunity to participate in the project, praying for its continued impact on the institution and generations of beneficiaries.
She said: “I’m really honoured to do this and I pray that God continues to bless this community and generations ongoing.”
Earlier, Chairman of the TETFund Board of Trustees, Aminu Masari.said the Oko centre was part of a nationwide strategic intervention approved by the board to establish an ICT Experience Centre in each of the six geopolitical zones.
Masari said N1 billion was approved for each zone, bringing the total investment to N6 billion, with selected universities, polytechnics and colleges of education serving as beneficiaries.
He said the centres would equip students and lecturers with critical digital competencies in areas including Artificial Intelligence, 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.”
According to him, the intervention was ultimately aimed at improving graduate employability, fostering innovation and positioning 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 while regularly upgrading its equipment to keep pace with technological advancements.
Also speaking, TETFund Executive Secretary, Arc. Sonny Echono, described the centre as an investment beyond physical infrastructure, saying it represented an investment in people, possibilities and the future of the country.
“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.”
Echono said expanding access to digital learning, innovation and technology would enable young Nigerians to transform ideas into solutions, skills into livelihoods and aspirations into opportunities.
He said the intervention was in line with TETFund’s commitment to human capital development and the emergence 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”
The TETFund boss added that the agency remained committed to ensuring that the ICT Experience Centres achieved their intended purpose of expanding digital inclusion, nurturing talent and opening new frontiers of opportunity for Nigerian youths.
He said the ICT centre and the National Community Food Bank Programme, which was also launched for the South-East Zone during the ceremony, reflected the central objective of the Renewed Hope Agenda of putting people at the centre of development.
While describing the food bank initiative as a timely response to the needs of vulnerable Nigerians facing economic pressures, Echono said the ICT centre addressed the growing need to equip young people with the knowledge and digital 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 hands-on technological experience, 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.”