…centre targets students without laptops

By Joseph Erunke

Nigeria’s drive to bridge the digital divide in tertiary institutions received a major boost on Friday as First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, commissioned a N1 billion state-of-the-art ICT Digital Experience Centre at the University of Cross River State ,UNICROSS, in Calabar.

The facility, equipped with laptops, desktop computers and other modern digital resources, is designed to give students, particularly those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, free access to technology, digital learning tools and skills development opportunities without the burden of owning personal devices.

The centre, delivered under the Renewed Hope Initiative in partnership with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund ,TETFund, is expected to provide students with a platform to learn, conduct research, develop digital skills and explore emerging technologies in a technology-driven economy.

Commissioning the facility at the university’s main campus, Senator Tinubu said the initiative was conceived to remove some of the major barriers preventing young Nigerians from acquiring the digital skills required to thrive in the modern economy.

She said the centre would give students uninterrupted opportunities to learn, create and innovate, particularly those who would otherwise be unable to afford laptops and other digital devices or contend with inadequate access to electricity.

According to her, the project forms part of a nationwide pilot programme covering selected tertiary institutions across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

Among the institutions listed as beneficiaries are Ekiti State University, Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State; Kaduna State University; Kwara State University; UNICROSS and Taraba State University.

The initiative, she said, was aimed at ensuring that access to digital education was not determined by a student’s financial background.

The development was welcomed by the Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, who described the centre as a major investment in the digital empowerment of young Nigerians and the future of education in the state.

Otu said the facility would help close the digital gap among students while equipping them with skills needed to compete in an increasingly technology-driven global economy.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the TETFund Board of Trustees, Rt. Hon. Aminu Masari, disclosed that UNICROSS was among six pioneer institutions nationwide selected to host ICT Experience Centres under the Fund’s 2024 intervention programme.

Masari said the TETFund Board approved the establishment of an ICT Experience Centre in each of the six geopolitical zones, with ₦1 billion allocated for each zone, making UNICROSS the host of the South-South centre.

He said the centres were designed not only to provide computers and internet-enabled learning facilities but also to expose students and lecturers to critical areas of the digital economy, including Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics and software development.

The facilities, he added, would also expose beneficiaries to emerging technologies with applications in agriculture, healthcare, security, media, mining and other sectors of the economy.

Masari said the intervention was ultimately targeted at improving graduate employability, stimulating innovation and preparing Nigerian youths for effective participation in the global technology economy.

The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, said the project underscored the Fund’s determination to strengthen digital infrastructure and expand technology-driven learning across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.

Echono stressed that the centres should not be viewed merely as physical infrastructure, but as platforms for creating opportunities, advancing research and building the digital capabilities of Nigerian youths.

He said the UNICROSS centre would provide students with access to modern digital resources while creating an enabling environment for research, learning, creativity and skills development.

He particularly highlighted the expected impact on students without personal digital devices, saying the intervention would help reduce inequality in access to education and technology.

The TETFund boss also commended Senator Tinubu for championing initiatives focused on youth empowerment and acknowledged the cooperation of the UNICROSS management in ensuring the successful delivery of the project.

He urged the university authorities to ensure that the equipment and facilities were properly secured, maintained and regularly upgraded to preserve the centre’s value and sustainability.

Echono assured that TETFund would continue to support interventions capable of improving the quality of tertiary education and equipping Nigerian graduates with the competencies required in the emerging digital economy.