FIC REPORT (KWARA STATE) – The First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has commissioned an ICT Experience Centre at Kwara State University, Malete, as the Federal Government expands its digital skills development programme to 15 additional tertiary institutions across the country.
Represented by the wife of the Vice President, Nana Shettima, Tinubu disclosed this on Tuesday during the commissioning of the facility at the institution.
She said construction of ICT Experience Centres was “ongoing in institutions across Adamawa, Bayelsa, Borno, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Imo, Katsina, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Rivers, Yobe and Zamfara states.”
The expansion is part of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund and Renewed Hope Initiative ICT Experience Centre programme, which is aimed at strengthening digital skills, innovation and technology-based learning in Nigerian tertiary institutions.
The intervention comes amid growing pressure on universities and other tertiary institutions to equip graduates with practical digital competencies such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics, software development and other emerging technologies increasingly reshape the labour market.
The Federal Government has also increasingly linked tertiary education reforms to employability and the need to prepare young Nigerians for a technology-driven economy.
According to the First Lady, the expansion was aimed at equipping Nigerian youths with the knowledge and skills required to thrive in an increasingly technology-driven global economy.
“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.
She added that the initiative demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to advancing education and digital inclusion, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda’s focus on youth empowerment, education, innovation and economic transformation.
Tinubu said the KWASU facility was equipped with ICT laboratories, interactive digital displays, conference facilities and exhibition spaces to promote learning, creativity, research and technological advancement.
She further disclosed that centres had already been commissioned in other geopolitical zones, while those at Kaduna State University and Taraba State University would be commissioned soon.
She urged students to take ownership of the centre and maximise the opportunities it provides.
“To our dear students, this centre has been established for you, to help you learn, innovate, develop solutions and unlock your full potential,” she said.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of KWASU, Prof. Shaykh-Luqman Jimoh, described the centre as a strategic investment in human capital, innovation and entrepreneurship.
“This centre is an investment in human capital, in innovation, in entrepreneurship, and most importantly, it is an investment in the future of Nigeria,” Jimoh said.
He assured that the university would maximise the facility for 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.
Reported by:
FADEYI, Babajide (PI&PRO)
FIC, Ilorin
