The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has launched the National Information Technology Development Agency Community ICT Centre in collaboration with the Renewed Hope Initiative.

The Renewed Hope Initiative is Mrs Tinubu’s project introduced to transform lives across the country through various programmes in health, education, agriculture, social investment, and economic empowerment.

During the commissioning of the ICT centre at the Kwara State College of Education on Tuesday, the first lady congratulated the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Abdullahi, and his team for working closely with RHI to bridge the digital gap nationwide.

She said the construction and equipment provided were in furtherance of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to accelerate economic diversification through industrialisation and digitalisation.

She added that the knowledge of ICT serves as a vital tool for empowering communities, especially women, enabling them to break traditional barriers and access new opportunities.

He stated, “In this collaboration with NITDA, on March 12, 2024, we commissioned the first-ever ICT community centre constructed by NITDA, named the Zainab Bulkachuwa Community ICT Centre in Bauchi State.

“NITDA has constructed four community ICT centres so far.
The centre we are commissioning today is the second, while Benue and Oyo centres are ready to be commissioned soon. Therefore, today’s commissioning presents us with another opportunity under the mandate of the Ministry of Communication, Innovation, and Digital Economy to further expand digital access for our citizens by providing communities with the resources they require to develop ICT skills.’’

According to Mrs Tinubu, Digital Economy Centres in five states and the Federal Capital Territory have also been fully equipped with computers and other ICT materials.

The five states include Jigawa, Ebonyi, Cross River, Oyo, Niger, and the FCT

She said 10 additional centres in Abia, Edo, Delta, Ondo, Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Nasarawa, Yobe, and Zamfara are being fully equipped and will be ready for commissioning soon.

She stated, “I have been informed that these centres have greatly benefitted our youth, especially women and girls, by providing invaluable opportunities for growth and empowerment. I am glad to hear about the success stories and the opportunities these centres are offering members of these various communities that have benefitted from this intervention.

“By equipping themselves with ICT skills, women and girls can enhance their educational prospects, be self-reliant, participate in the global economy, and support their families.

“I urge the community members to take full ownership of this centre. The success of this centre depends on their active participation and utilisation of the resources available.’’

The first lady, under the RHI Economic Empowerment scope, presented a grant of N50 million naira to Olufolake Abdulrazaq, the wife of the Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.

Mrs Abdulrazaq is also the state coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative.

The money, according to Mrs Tinubu, is to support another set of 1,000 women petty traders with the sum of N50,000 each to enable them to recapitalise their existing businesses in addition to the earlier empowerment of 1,000 women in the state in 2024.

Under the RHI Social Investment Programme, 250 elderly citizens were given a grant of N200,000 each in December 2024 to enable them to celebrate Christmas.

In addition, RHI, under its education programme, is working closely with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to build an alternative high school for girls in Kwara State.

Responding, the director general of NITDA said the centre was equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for robust learning.

Mr Abdulrazaq and his wife praised Mrs Tinubu and NITDA for providing the centre.

He urged stakeholders in a better Nigeria to do more for society, saying, “It is important to invest in the future of the youth. This project is not just an investment in infrastructure; it makes a powerful statement about the essential role of technology in our survival and progress in this era.”

He expressed gratitude to the federal government and the RHI for contributing to innovation in the state.

The centre is named Amina Ndalolo Community ICT Centre. 

(NAN)