Abuja: The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, inaugurated a Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Experience Centre at Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra. Accompanied by Gov. Chukwuma Soludo, his wife, Dr. Nonye Soludo, and other dignitaries, Tinubu highlighted the facility as a significant investment in the digital future of Nigerian youths.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the TETFund ICT centre is designed to equip students and lecturers with essential digital skills, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, robotics, and software development. Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the TETFund Board of Trustees, Alhaji Aminu Masari, noted that Federal Polytechnic, Oko, was among six institutions chosen nationwide as pioneer beneficiaries of the project.
Masari explained that the projects were authorized under TETFund’s 2024 activities and were implemented across the six geopolitical zones, with each zone allocated a total funding of one billion naira. The intervention acknowledges the increasing significance of technology in education and national development while also supporting the Renewed Hope Initiative.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Mr. Sonny Echono, emphasized that the centre represents an investment in human capital and the future of Nigerian youth. He stated that the initiative aligns with TETFund’s dedication to developing Nigeria’s human capital and fostering a knowledge-driven economy. Echono expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for enabling a policy environment that supports people-centred interventions nationwide.
Earlier, Dr. Chioma Awuzie, Rector of the polytechnic, hailed the project as a landmark achievement for the institution. Awuzie highlighted that the centre would offer students opportunities in digital skills, employment, entrepreneurship, innovation, educational resources, and networking. She, however, called for urgent intervention from the First Lady and other stakeholders to address challenges faced by the polytechnic, particularly concerning threatening erosion in parts of its environment.