NITDA Partners FUET to Boost Digital Infrastructure, Skills Development
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
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, Ogoni, Rivers State.
The agency made the commitment during a courtesy visit by the university’s management, led by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Prince Chinedu Mmom, to NITDA’s headquarters in Abuja.
Speaking during the meeting, the Director of Digital Literacy and Capacity Building at NITDA, Oladejo Olawunmi, who represented the Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, said the agency remained committed to supporting tertiary institutions in building the infrastructure and human capital needed to compete in the global digital economy.
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He noted that NITDA had continued to implement initiatives aimed at strengthening digital capacity in higher institutions through the establishment of Information Technology Community Centres, IT Parks, Innovation Hubs and digital literacy programmes designed to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and research.
According to him, the interventions are aligned with the National Digital Literacy Framework being implemented in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission, NUC, to institutionalise digital skills across Nigeria’s education system.
Olawunmi assured the university that the agency would consider its request for support, stressing that collaboration with academic institutions remained central to NITDA’s mandate of building a digitally inclusive and innovation-driven economy.
“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 the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of FUET, Prof. Mmom, described the institution as a specialised university established by President Tinubu to advance environmental sustainability, science, technology and innovation while addressing the developmental aspirations of the Ogoni people.
He disclosed that although the university was still in its formative stage, it had completed its master plan, academic brief and academic structure and had secured approval to commence academic activities across six faculties.
The faculties include Engineering and Technology, Environmental Sciences, Natural and Applied Sciences, Agriculture, Allied Health Sciences and Management Sciences.
Mmom, however, identified inadequate ICT infrastructure as a major challenge facing the institution, particularly in technology-related programmes.
He explained that departments such as Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Cyber Security and Information Technology currently lacked the basic 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,” the Vice-Chancellor said.
He appealed to NITDA to provide critical digital infrastructure and capacity-building support to enable the university to deliver quality technology education, promote research and innovation, and equip graduates with industry-relevant digital skills.
