By Chika Nwachukwu
The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Friday commissioned a N1bn Information and Communication Technology centre at the University of Cross River State, UNICROSS, in Calabar.
The facility, an ICT Digital Experience Centre, was delivered through the Renewed Hope Initiative in partnership with TETFund.
It is one of six similar centres approved nationwide, with one in each of the country’s six geopolitical zones.
Speaking at the commissioning on the university’s main campus, Tinubu said the centre is expected to give students uninterrupted access to learning and digital skills without the constraints of owning a personal device or dealing with unstable electricity.
She said the project targets young people, especially students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds who cannot afford laptops and desktops.
According to her, the pilot phase covers six institutions across the zones which include Ekiti State University, Federal Polytechnic Oko in Anambra, Kaduna State University, Kwara State University, UNICROSS for the South-South, and Taraba State University.
Also speaking, Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, described the centre as an investment in digital skills for students in the state. He said it would help close the gap in access to technology and prepare graduates to compete in a technology-driven economy.
On his part, the chairman of the TETFund Board of Trustees, Rt. Hon. Aminu Masari, said the Fund approved N1bn for each of the six centres in its 2024 intervention.
He said UNICROSS will serve as the South-South hub.
Masari stated that the centres are designed to equip students and lecturers with skills in Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics and software development.
He added that training will also cover the application of technology in agriculture, healthcare, security, media and mining. The goal, he said, is to improve graduate employability and expose students to emerging technologies.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, said the project is part of the Fund’s effort to strengthen digital infrastructure in tertiary institutions.
He said the centres will provide modern digital resources and create an environment for research, learning and skills development, with particular focus on students who do not have personal devices.
Echono acknowledged the role of the First Lady in pushing the initiative and urged UNICROSS management to ensure the facility is maintained, secured and regularly upgraded.
He said TETFund will continue to support programmes aimed at expanding digital capacity in universities and polytechnics.
The N1bn centre is expected to operate with free access to laptops, desktops and other digital resources for students.
About the Author
