By Joan Nwagwu
The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, has commissioned a TETFund/Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) ICT Experience Centre at Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete.
This was contained in a statement was signed by Mrs Kwapchi Bata-Hamman, Special Assistant to the President on Media and ICT, Office of the Vice President, and issued on Tuesday in Abuja.
The initiative is aimed at equipping Nigerian youths with digital skills and expanding access to technology-driven learning across tertiary institutions.
Tinubu was represented by the wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, Tinubu described the centre as “an opportunity, innovation, knowledge and hope” for young people.
She said the initiative aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, particularly its focus on youth empowerment, education, innovation and economic transformation.
According to her, the centre provides ICT laboratories, interactive digital displays, conference facilities and exhibition spaces to support learning, creativity, research and technological advancement.
Tinubu said the pilot phase covered six tertiary institutions, with one institution representing each of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
She disclosed that the next phase would cover 15 additional tertiary institutions in Adamawa, Bayelsa, Borno, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Imo, Katsina, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Rivers, Yobe and Zamfara.
She said the expansion demonstrated the administration’s commitment to ensuring that more Nigerian youths, irrespective of location, accessed digital learning and innovation opportunities.
The First Lady urged students to take ownership of the facility and maximise the opportunities it provided to transform their lives, communities and the nation.
Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara urged KWASU management to leverage the centre to drive innovation, create jobs and develop practical solutions to societal challenges.
AbdulRazaq said universities must go beyond producing graduates to generating ideas capable of improving lives, while appreciating Tinubu for facilitating the intervention through RHI.
The wife of the Kwara Governor and State Coordinator of RHI, Amb. Prof. Olufolake Abdulrazaq, described the centre as a significant opportunity for young people.
She said the project would equip young Nigerians with digital skills, ensure they were not left behind in the digital revolution and break barriers to acquiring functional skills.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Mr Sonny Echono, described the centre as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s digital future.
Represented by the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr Olajide Babatunde, Echono said the centre would equip youths with skills in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics and emerging technologies.
He said the intervention would help bridge Nigeria’s digital skills gap, improve graduate employability and align the education system with global technological demands.
The Vice-Chancellor of KWASU, Prof. Shaykh-Luqman Alade Jimoh, described the centre as a significant investment in Nigeria’s future and expressed appreciation to the First Lady.
Jimoh said the project had brought renewed hope to Malete, strengthened university-community engagement, enhanced research and promoted entrepreneurship.
KWASU is one of six tertiary institutions selected for the pilot phase, alongside institutions in other geopolitical zones, according to the statement.
Similar centres have been commissioned at Ekiti State University, University of Cross River State and Anambra State Polytechnic, while centres in Kaduna and Taraba are ready.
The statement said construction was ongoing at the 15 institutions selected for the next phase of the intervention.