Abuja: The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, has inaugurated the TETFund/Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) ICT Experience Centre at Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, this initiative is designed to equip Nigerian youths with digital skills and broaden access to technology-driven learning in tertiary institutions.
Represented by the wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, Tinubu described the centre as an opportunity for innovation, knowledge, and hope for young people. The initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, focusing on youth empowerment, education, innovation, and economic transformation.
The centre offers resources such as ICT laboratories, interactive digital displays, conference facilities, and exhibition spaces to foster learning, creativity, research, and technological advancement. The pilot phase includes six tertiary institutions, one in each of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, with plans to expand to 15 additional institutions.
The First Lady emphasized the administration’s dedication to ensuring Nigerian youths access digital learning and innovation opportunities, regardless of their location. She encouraged students to take advantage of the facility to transform their lives and communities.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara highlighted the importance of leveraging the centre to drive innovation and create jobs. He appreciated the First Lady for her role in facilitating the intervention through RHI.
Prof. Olufolake Abdulrazaq, wife of the Kwara Governor and State Coordinator of RHI, noted that the project would provide young Nigerians with essential digital skills, enabling them to partake in the digital revolution.
Mr Sonny Echono, Executive Secretary of TETFund, described the centre as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s digital future, aiming to equip youths with skills in AI, cybersecurity, robotics, and emerging technologies.
Prof. Shaykh-Luqman Alade Jimoh, Vice-Chancellor of KWASU, expressed gratitude to the First Lady, noting the centre’s potential to strengthen university-community engagement, enhance research, and promote entrepreneurship.
KWASU is among six institutions selected for the pilot phase, with similar centres inaugurated at Ekiti State University, University of Cross River State, and Anambra State Polytechnic. Centres in Kaduna and Taraba have been completed, and construction is ongoing at the 15 institutions chosen for the next phase.