Tinubu unveils N1bn digital centre for students

First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has said financial constraints should not prevent Nigerian students from acquiring digital skills, as she commissioned a N1 billion ICT Digital Experience Centre at the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS), Calabar.

Tinubu said the facility was established to provide students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, with access to digital learning resources without requiring them to own personal computers.

The centre was delivered under the Renewed Hope Initiative in collaboration with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and is part of a pilot programme covering six tertiary institutions, one in each geopolitical zone.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony on the university’s main campus, the First Lady said the facility would enable students to access digital education without being hampered by lack of devices or unreliable electricity.

She said the initiative was designed to ensure that students who could not afford laptops and desktop computers were not excluded from the opportunities created by technology.

The six institutions benefiting from the pilot programme are Ekiti State University; Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State; Kaduna State University; Kwara State University; UNICROSS; and Taraba State University.

Chairman of the TETFund Board of Trustees, Aminu Masari, said the Fund approved N1 billion for each of the six centres under its 2024 intervention programme.

Masari said UNICROSS would serve as the South-South hub, adding that the centres were designed to train students and lecturers in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics and software development.

He said the programmes would also explore the use of technology in agriculture, healthcare, security, media and mining, with the broader objective of improving graduates’ employability and preparing them for a technology-driven economy.

Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, described the facility as an investment in the state’s digital future, saying it would help reduce disparities in access to technology and equip graduates with skills needed in the modern economy.

TETFund Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono, said the project formed part of efforts to strengthen digital infrastructure across tertiary institutions.

Echono said the centres would provide modern digital resources and support research, learning and skills development, particularly for students without personal devices.

He commended the First Lady for championing the initiative and urged the university management to ensure the centre was properly maintained, secured and regularly upgraded.

The N1 billion facility is expected to provide students with free access to laptops, desktop computers and other digital learning resources, while TETFund said it would continue supporting programmes aimed at expanding digital capacity in universities and polytechnics.