The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s higher education sector through strategic investments in digital infrastructure, innovation and digital skills development, as it moves to establish a partnership with the Federal University of Environment and Technology (FUET), Ogoni, Rivers State.
The commitment was made during a courtesy visit by the university’s management, led by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Prince Chinedu Mmom, to NITDA’s headquarters in Abuja, where both institutions discussed building a robust digital ecosystem to support teaching, research, innovation and talent development.
Representing the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, the Director of Digital Literacy and Capacity Building, Mr. Oladejo Olawunmi, said the agency remains focused on driving Nigeria’s digital transformation by supporting tertiary institutions with the infrastructure and human capital needed to thrive in the global digital economy.
He highlighted NITDA’s ongoing interventions in universities through Information Technology Community Centres, IT Parks, Innovation Hubs and digital literacy programmes aimed at promoting innovation, entrepreneurship and research.
Olawunmi noted that the agency’s initiatives are aligned with the National Digital Literacy Framework (NDLF), being implemented in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission (NUC), to institutionalise digital skills across Nigeria’s education system.
Assuring the university of NITDA’s support, he said the agency would carefully review FUET’s requests and identify areas where it could provide assistance.
“Our mandate is to develop and regulate Nigeria’s digital ecosystem by providing enabling infrastructure and building the digital capacity of Nigerians. Through our interventions in universities, including IT Parks, Innovation Hubs and digital literacy initiatives, we are laying the foundation for a knowledge-driven economy. We will carefully review your requests and identify areas where the Agency can provide the necessary support,” he said.
He added that NITDA would continue to pursue strategic partnerships that promote innovation, digital inclusion, research excellence and workforce development in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Prince Chinedu Mmom, described FUET as a specialised institution established by President Tinubu to advance the developmental aspirations of the Ogoni people while promoting excellence in environmental sustainability, science, technology and innovation.
Although the university is still in its formative stage, Mmom said it had already developed its master plan, academic brief and academic structure, receiving approval to commence academic activities across six faculties, including Engineering and Technology, Environmental Sciences, Natural and Applied Sciences, Agriculture, Allied Health Sciences and Management Sciences.
He, however, identified inadequate ICT infrastructure as a major challenge, explaining that technology-driven programmes such as Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Cyber Security and Information Technology currently lack the computing facilities required for effective teaching and learning.
“We have established departments in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Cyber Security and Information Technology, but we currently do not have the basic computing facilities needed to support these programmes. To prepare our students for the realities of today’s digital economy, we require computers, workstations, digital laboratories and reliable internet connectivity,” he said.
Professor Mmom appealed to NITDA to support the university with critical digital infrastructure and capacity-building initiatives to enhance technology education, strengthen research and innovation, and produce graduates equipped with industry-relevant digital skills.
Both institutions expressed optimism that the proposed collaboration would accelerate digital education, research and innovation while advancing the Federal Government’s vision of building a resilient, inclusive and globally competitive digital economy through strategic investments in human capital development.
