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

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

The centre, established under the Renewed Hope Initiative, is designed to equip 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 and prayed for its continued impact on the institution and future generations of beneficiaries.

She described the facility as an important investment in the future of Nigerian youths.

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

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

Masari said N1 billion was approved for each zone, bringing the total investment to N6 billion, with selected universities, polytechnics and colleges of education benefiting from the intervention.

He said the centres would equip students and lecturers with critical digital skills in areas including Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics and software development.

According to him, the initiative was driven by the need to align Nigeria’s education system with emerging global technological and industry standards.

He said the investment would 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 adequate maintenance and security of the facility, while regularly upgrading its equipment to keep pace with technological advancements.

The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, described the ICT centre as more than physical infrastructure, saying it represented an investment in people, possibilities and Nigeria’s future.

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

He said the intervention aligned with TETFund’s commitment to human capital development and the emergence of a knowledge-driven economy.

According to him, TETFund was honoured to partner with the Renewed Hope Initiative in promoting an agenda that recognises Nigerian youths not merely as beneficiaries of development but as key actors in shaping the country’s future.

He assured that TETFund would continue to support the ICT Experience Centres to achieve their objectives of expanding digital inclusion, nurturing talent and creating new opportunities for young Nigerians.

Echono also said the ICT centres and the National Community Food Bank Programme reflected the people-centred focus of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

While the food bank programme would respond to the needs of vulnerable Nigerians facing economic pressures, he said the ICT intervention would 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 interventions at 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 practical technological experience by equipping students with competencies required to thrive in the 21st-century economy.

She stressed that the growing importance of technology, Artificial Intelligence, digital skills, innovation and knowledge made it imperative for Nigerian youths to be equipped not only to participate in the digital economy but to excel and lead.