Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has commissioned a N1 billion state-of-the-art Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Digital Experience Centre at the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS), Calabar, providing students with free access to laptops, desktops and other digital resources.
The facility, delivered through the Renewed Hope Initiative in partnership with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), is designed to expand access to digital resources, particularly for economically disadvantaged students who cannot afford personal devices.
Commissioning the centre on Friday at the university’s main campus in Calabar, Senator Tinubu said the facility would provide students with greater opportunities to develop digital skills.
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“The new centre is expected to give students uninterrupted opportunities to learn, create and build digital skills without the barriers of device ownership and unstable electricity.”
According to the First Lady, the project forms part of a nationwide initiative involving tertiary institutions across the country’s six geopolitical zones as beneficiaries of the pilot phase.
The beneficiary institutions include Ekiti State University; Federal Polytechnic Oko, Anambra State; Kaduna State University; Kwara State University; UNICROSS; and Taraba State University, among others.
Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, commended the initiative, describing the ICT Digital Experience Centre as a significant investment in digital empowerment and the advancement of education in the state.
The governor noted that the facility would help bridge the digital divide while equipping young people with skills needed to compete in an increasingly technology-driven global economy.
“The facility will help bridge the digital divide among students while equipping young people with the skills required to compete effectively in an increasingly technology-driven global economy.”
Chairman of the TETFund Board of Trustees, Rt. Hon. Aminu Masari, disclosed that UNICROSS was among six institutions selected nationwide as pioneer beneficiaries of the strategic intervention under the Fund’s 2024 activities.
Masari explained that the Board approved an ICT Experience Centre in each of the six geopolitical zones at a total cost of N1 billion per zone, with UNICROSS hosting the South-South centre.
The centre is designed to equip students and lecturers with critical digital skills in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics and software development, while exposing them to emerging technologies applicable to sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, security, media and mining.
Masari emphasised that the intervention was aimed at improving graduate employability, fostering innovation and preparing Nigerian youths to compete effectively in the global technology-driven economy.
“The intervention is aimed at enhancing graduate employability, fostering innovation and preparing Nigerian youths to compete effectively in the global technology-driven economy.”
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, described the project as part of the Fund’s commitment to strengthening digital infrastructure in tertiary institutions and expanding access to technology-driven learning.
Echono also acknowledged the First Lady’s contribution to initiatives aimed at empowering young Nigerians, noting that her commitment had provided valuable encouragement for programmes of this nature.
He commended the university management for its cooperation in delivering the project and urged it to ensure that the facility and equipment were properly maintained, secured and regularly upgraded.
The TETFund Executive Secretary stressed that the Fund would continue to support impactful initiatives that strengthen digital capacity in tertiary institutions, describing the centres as platforms for creating opportunities for young people and advancing Nigeria’s vision of a knowledge-based and technologically empowered economy.
“The centre will provide students with access to modern digital resources and create an enabling environment for research, learning and skills development. The initiative will particularly benefit students who lack personal digital devices, helping to reduce inequality in access to education and technology.”
Echono commended the First Lady for championing the initiative and assured that TETFund would continue to support interventions aimed at improving the quality of tertiary education and preparing Nigerian students for the demands of the digital economy.
