Prime Highlight
- The National Universities Commission (NUC) received the first €3 million of a €40 million loan from the French Development Agency to fund ICT projects across 10 Nigerian universities.
- The initiative is part of the ICT Blueprint Project aimed at advancing digital transformation, research, and skills development in the higher education sector.
Key Facts
- Beneficiary institutions include the University of Calabar, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, University of Ibadan, Federal University of Technology, Minna, among others.
- The funds have been deposited in the Central Bank of Nigeria, marking the official start of the ICT Blueprint Project.
Background
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has received the first €3 million tranche of a €40 million loan from the French Development Agency to support major ICT projects in 10 Nigerian universities. The Executive Secretary, Prof. Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, revealed this during the inaugural meeting of the 13th NUC Board held in Abuja.
The beneficiary institutions include the University of Maiduguri, the University of Jos, Modibbo Adama University, Yola; the University of Calabar; Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife; Bayero University, Kano; the University of Nigeria, Nsukka; the Federal University of Technology, Minna; Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, and the University of Ibadan.
Prof. Ribadu said the funds have already been deposited in the Central Bank of Nigeria, marking the start of the ICT Blueprint Project. He noted that in the past year, the Commission has pushed new reforms in research, entrepreneurship, digital transformation, and skills development to strengthen the university system. He added that the NUC has expanded access to higher education through the approval of new private universities and new academic programmes, while the 2025 Accreditation Exercise is underway.
Ribadu assured the Board of full cooperation and said their guidance would help the Commission move forward as universities continue to face new global demands.
Chairman of the 13th NUC Board, Emeritus Prof. Oluremi Raphael Aina, thanked President Bola Tinubu for his support to the education sector. He said the Board will focus on five key pillars: evaluating NUC performance, boosting university rankings, improving digital literacy, strengthening research, and driving institutional reforms. He stressed that better funding, staff welfare, technology use, and regulatory independence are essential for meaningful progress.
