Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has described the newly established Digital Learning Centres across the country as a vital step towards expanding digital access and empowering Nigerians to participate meaningfully in the nation’s growing digital economy.
Mrs. Tinubu stated this on Thursday during the official commissioning and handover of the Digital Learning Centre in Umuahia, Abia State, alongside nine others nationwide. The initiative was organized by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in collaboration with the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), a social investment program of the Office of the First Lady.
According to her, the project aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to accelerate economic diversification through industrialization and digitalization.
“This initiative provides another opportunity to expand digital access across Nigeria by equipping communities with the tools and knowledge needed to thrive in the digital age,” she said. “It will foster creativity, entrepreneurship, and innovation, especially among the youth, thereby improving livelihoods and driving national development.”
Commissioning the ten centres located in Abia, Edo, Delta, Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ondo, Yobe, and Zamfara States, Mrs. Tinubu encouraged beneficiaries to make productive use of the facilities.
“Even small-scale business owners, like those selling kuli-kuli, can benefit from this transformation,” she added. “With digitalization, ease of doing business will extend to every nook and cranny of our country.”
The First Lady also highlighted NITDA’s ongoing collaboration with the Renewed Hope Initiative in constructing and equipping community ICT centres across the nation. She noted that four of such centres have been named after distinguished Nigerian women — including the Zainab Bulkachuwa Community ICT Centre in Bauchi and the Amina Ndalolu Community ICT Centre in Kwara — while additional facilities in Cross River, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Niger, Oyo, and the FCT have been completed and commissioned.
In his remarks, the Director-General and CEO of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, said the centres are designed to serve as community innovation hubs that provide access to essential digital tools and skills.
He explained that digital literacy can significantly improve productivity, particularly among rural women and small business owners.
“A woman who makes kuli-kuli can now source groundnuts online directly from farmers, connect with more buyers, and spend her time more efficiently, increasing her income and improving her family’s well-being,” he said.
He added that the agency has already commissioned 296 digital learning centres nationwide, with 148 more underway, and a total of 592 planned within the current administration’s first term.
Representing the First Lady of Abia State, Mrs. Priscilla Otti, the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adaeze Emetu, commended Mrs. Tinubu and NITDA for choosing Abia as one of the beneficiaries. She described the project as a major milestone in promoting digital inclusion and empowerment in the state.
“This centre aligns with our vision to equip women, youths, and vulnerable groups with the digital knowledge they need to succeed,” Mrs. Otti said. “Under the leadership of Governor Alex Otti, Abia is already advancing digital empowerment through the TechRise program, which has trained over 850 young people.”
She assured that the state would take full ownership of the centre to ensure its effective use and sustainability, while expressing gratitude to Mrs. Tinubu for her commitment to national development.
“This initiative is a game-changer for our communities,” she concluded. “Your Excellency, we thank you for being a beacon of hope and for championing a vision that uplifts women, youths, and the nation as a whole.”
Earlier, the commissioner for women affairs, Mrs Maureen Aghaukwa commended the first lady of Nigeria and Abia for their collaboration to empower women.
She added that the digital learning centres would take women and Nigerians to another level of development.
