Hajia Shettima (second left) inaugurating the TETFund/Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) ICT Experience Centre at Kwara State University, Malete…yesterday. With her are Kwara State Governor AbdulRazaq AbdulRahman (left); his wife, Prof. Olufolake(second right) and wife of Chief of Staff to the President, Mrs Salamatu Gbajabiamila
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has announced the broadening of the TETFund/Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) ICT Experience Centre intervention to 15 more tertiary institutions across the country. Politics
Work is already ongoing in 15 centres at Ondo, Osun, Rivers, Imo, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Borno, Adamawa, Katsina, Nasarawa, Niger, Yobe and Zamfara states.
The centres are part of efforts to equip Nigerian youths with digital skills and broaden their access to technology-driven learning.
The First Lady announced the expansion while inaugurating a TETFund/RHI ICT Experience Centre at the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete.
KWASU is one of six tertiary institutions selected for the pilot phase of the intervention in the six geopolitical zones of the country. The other five are Ekiti State University , University of Cross River State, Anambra State Polytechnic, Kaduna State University and Taraba State University.
Represented by the wife of the Vice President, Nana Shettima, Senator Tinubu described the ICT Experience Centre in Molete as representing “opportunity, innovation, knowledge, and hope” for young Nigerians in Kwara State and beyond.’’
The First Lady said in a statement by Kwapchi Hamman, the Special Assistant to the President on Media and ICT(Office of the Vice President), that the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its focus on youth empowerment, education, innovation and economic transformation. Politics
According to her, the facility provides a modern learning environment equipped with ICT laboratories, interactive digital displays, conference facilities and exhibition spaces to support learning, creativity, research and technological advancement.
She added that the expansion to another 15 institutions demonstrated the administration’s determination to ensure that young Nigerians have access to digital learning and innovation opportunities irrespective of where they live.
The First Lady urged students of KWASU to take ownership of the facility and maximise the opportunities it provides, particularly by deploying technology positively to transform their lives, communities and the country.
She commended the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of TETFund, Aminu Masari, and the management of the Fund for collaborating with RHI and sustaining investments in infrastructure and human capital development across tertiary institutions in the country.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq urged the university management to leverage the facility to drive innovation, create jobs and develop practical solutions to societal challenges.
The governor said universities must go beyond producing graduates to generating ideas capable of improving lives.
He thanked the First Lady for facilitating the intervention through the Renewed Hope Initiative and commended TETFund for its investment in the university.
Wife of the governor and State Coordinator of RHI, Olufolake , described the centre as a major opportunity for young people, saying it would equip them with digital skills and ensure they were not left behind in the digital revolution.
She said the intervention would help break barriers to acquiring functional skills and urged beneficiaries to make effective use of the centre to learn, thrive and lay foundations for future success.
TETFund Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono, described the facility as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s digital future, saying it would equip young Nigerians with critical skills in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics and other emerging technologies.
Echono, who was represented by the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Olajide Babatunde, said the intervention would help bridge Nigeria’s digital skills gap, improve graduate employability and align the education system with global technological demands.
Vice-Chancellor of KWASU Shaykh-Luqman Jimoh thanked the First Lady for selecting the university as a beneficiary, describing the centre as a significant investment in Nigeria’s future.
Jimoh said the project had brought renewed hope to Malete while strengthening engagement between the university and its host community.
He said that the facility would enhance research, promote entrepreneurship and encourage greater community participation.
