The Nigerian government has unveiled a $40 million ICT project to transform digital education in 10 federal universities nationwide.
Launched on Tuesday, this initiative is set to revolutionise tertiary education by integrating advanced digital infrastructure and innovative learning environments, backed by the French Government through the Agence Française de Développement (AFD).
$40 million ICT project to modernise university education
The Blueprint ICT Development (Blueprint-ICT-Dev) Project focuses on upgrading ICT facilities, enabling hybrid learning, and improving education data systems for better policy decisions.
Education Minister Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa described the project as “a strategic investment in the future of Nigerian education. It’s about building smart campuses, empowering smart people, and nurturing smart ideas.”
The initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aiming to build smart campuses and enhance university research infrastructure.
The project will promote teacher training, technical and vocational education, and digital skills development.
It includes two components: $38 million for ICT upgrades in the selected universities and $2 million for developing a National STEM Transformation Strategy involving pilot STEM initiatives and labour market research.
Ten Universities selected for digital transformation
The 10 federal universities chosen to pilot this project were selected through a competitive process and represent all six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. They are:
- University of Calabar
- University of Nigeria, Nsukka
- University of Ibadan
- Federal University of Technology, Minna
- University of Maiduguri
- Bayero University, Kano
- Modibbo Adama University, Yola
- Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife
- Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka
- University of Jos
These institutions will serve as centres of Excellence for ICT integration and innovation in education, focusing on automating administrative processes, enhancing e-learning platforms, and strengthening research management systems.
The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, emphasised the project’s role in revitalising Nigerian universities through digital innovation.
He urged other universities to automate their processes and view the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN) as a vital digital resource for academic communities.
French Ambassador to Nigeria, Marc Fonbaustier, praised the project as “a decisive leap forward, a bold step to bring teaching and learning in Nigerian universities into the digital age, practically and structurally.”
He highlighted the project’s focus on people, systems, and institutional transformation beyond just infrastructure.
With this project, Nigeria is setting a new course for higher education, leveraging digital tools to enhance learning, research, and governance across its university system.