TETFund commits N6bn to zonal ICT centres as Tinubu’s wife opens Oko facility

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has committed N6 billion to the establishment of ICT Experience Centres across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones as part of efforts to strengthen digital skills and human capital development in the country’s tertiary institutions.

First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Thursday formally commissioned the South-East Zonal ICT Experience Centre located at the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State.

The centre, which is part of 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 facility, Mrs Tinubu expressed appreciation for the opportunity to participate in the project, praying for its continued impact on the institution and generations of beneficiaries.

“I’m really honoured to do this and I pray that God continues to bless this community and generations ongoing. Amen,” she said.

The First Lady described the facility as an important investment in the future of Nigerian youths.

The commissioning was held alongside the launch of the National Community Food Bank Programme for the South-East Zone.

Earlier, the Chairman of the TETFund Board of Trustees, Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, said the Oko facility was part of a nationwide strategic intervention approved by the board to establish an ICT Experience Centre in each of the six geopolitical zones.

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Masari said TETFund had approved N1 billion 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 were designed to equip students and lecturers with critical digital skills in areas such as 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,” Masari said.

He said the ultimate objective was to enhance graduate employability, foster innovation and position 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 and regularly upgrade its equipment in line with technological advancements.

Speaking at the ceremony, Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, described the facility as more than physical infrastructure, saying it represented an investment in people, possibilities and the future of Nigeria.

“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,” he said.

According to him, expanding access to digital learning, innovation and technology would enable young Nigerians to transform ideas into solutions, skills into livelihoods and aspirations into opportunities.

Echono said the intervention aligned 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,” he said.

He added that TETFund 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.

Echono said both initiatives reflected the central objective of the Renewed Hope Agenda of putting people at the centre of development.

He described the food bank programme as a timely response to the needs of vulnerable Nigerians facing economic pressures, while 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 Irene 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’s interventions in 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 help bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and hands-on technological experience, equipping students with the 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,” she said.