The Federal Government has unveiled the Blueprint-ICT-Dev Project, a transformative initiative aimed at modernising digital infrastructure in ten federal universities across the country.
The project, worth $40 million, is financed through a credit facility provided by the French Government via its development agency, Agence Française de Développement (AFD). Its objectives include strengthening ICT infrastructure in universities, enabling hybrid and cross-border learning, enhancing data systems for evidence-based policymaking, promoting technical and vocational education through digital tools, and expanding access to digital learning in underserved communities.
Dr. Joshua Attah, Coordinator of Special Projects at the National Universities Commission (NUC), explained that the project comprises two main components. The first, allocated $38 million, focuses on developing ICT capacity within selected universities to improve teaching and learning. The second component, valued at $2 million, aims to craft a national strategy for transforming Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in Nigerian universities. He traced the project’s roots back to 2018, when the NUC devised a revitalisation blueprint for the Nigerian university system and identified ICT as crucial for meaningful reform.
Out of the 26 federal universities established before 2011, ten were chosen for the project through a competitive process involving proposal reviews and site inspections. These institutions span all six geopolitical zones and are expected, according to the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, to become Centres of Excellence in ICT integration and educational innovation, with a strong emphasis on teacher training, digital skills development, online learning, and research management.
Professor Abdullahi Ribadu, Executive Secretary of the NUC, revealed that the commission is seeking additional funding sources to expand the initiative to other universities in the future. He urged universities, both those currently participating and those anticipating future phases, to start automating institutional processes such as staff and student data management, online processing of results and transcripts, and digitisation of governance and administrative systems. Ribadu also called on vice-chancellors to view the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN) as more than a broadband network, describing it as the digital lifeline of Nigeria’s academic community.
French Ambassador to Nigeria, Marc Fonbaustier, described the launch of the Blueprint-ICT-Dev Project as a significant leap forward in Nigeria’s quest for an inclusive, innovative, and future-focused education system. He reiterated France’s commitment to supporting educational development in Nigeria and noted that the project signifies an investment not only in infrastructure but also in people, systems, and institutional transformation. Similarly, AFD Country Director, Xavier Muron, highlighted how the Blueprint aligns with AFD’s mission to enhance higher education, promote digital and entrepreneurial skills, and foster governance reforms. Muron remarked that the project is not merely a milestone but a shared vision to develop ICT-driven solutions serving both academic and socio-economic goals.
