FG Launches $40 Million ICT Project for University Digitalization
The Federal Government unveiled a $40 million ICT initiative aimed at digitalizing Nigeria’s tertiary education sector on Tuesday.
The Blueprint ICT Development Project, funded by the French Development Agency, will be implemented across 10 federal universities.
Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa emphasised the project’s alignment with national development goals during the Abuja unveiling ceremony. “This project is a strategic investment in the future of Nigerian education. It’s about building smart campuses, empowering smart people, and nurturing smart ideas,” Alausa said.
The initiative supports President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and serves as a model for innovation and international cooperation. The project will help universities digitise administrative systems, develop hybrid and cross-border academic programs, and strengthen transnational education linkages.
Additional components include digital library support, enhanced research management systems, and integration with the Nigerian Research and Education Network. The initiative promotes teacher training, improves education data systems, and integrates Technical and Vocational Education and Training across university curricula.
National Universities Commission Executive Secretary Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu described the project as evidence of the Nigerian University System’s readiness for digital transformation. The initiative evolved from NUC’s 2018 blueprint for revitalising Nigerian universities and will span all six geopolitical zones.
The blueprint identified governance, financing, and employability challenges while recognising ICT as a crucial reform tool. “With this privilege comes responsibility. Success will be measured not just by infrastructure but by the lives transformed,” he said.
The project will expand the university’s reach into underserved communities through open and distance learning, digital literacy outreach, and teacher empowerment initiatives. “This is not just about infrastructure or platforms. It is about reimagining the role of ICT in higher education,” Ribadu said.
Dr. Joshua Atah, NUC Special Projects Coordinator, outlined the project as a landmark investment catalysing the Nigerian University System’s digital transformation. Component One allocates $38 million for ICT development in selected universities, including digital infrastructure renovation, connectivity improvements, staff training, and student digital resources.
Component Two dedicates $2 million for National STEM Transformation Strategy creation, including committee formation, labor market research, awareness campaigns, and pilot programs for STEM education quality improvement.
Beneficiary universities include 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, and University of Jos.
The event was attended by the French Ambassador to Nigeria, the AFD Country Director, and other dignitaries.
