The Federal Government has called on Nigerian students to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI), coding, robotics and other digital skills to prepare for the demands of the global digital economy.
The call was made during the Renewed Hope Students’ Engagement and Digital Acceleration Programme for the South-East Zone held at the University of Nigeria, where selected students received laptop computers to support digital learning and innovation.
The programme brought together government officials, student leaders, academics, innovators and development partners to discuss youth empowerment, digital transformation and education financing under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Kingsley Udeh, represented by Dr. Ijeoma Eze, said Nigeria must invest in innovation and technology to remain competitive in the global knowledge economy.
He noted that the Federal Government is implementing several education-focused initiatives, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), HOPE-EDU, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), the National Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), Universal Basic Education and the Nigerian Learning Passport to strengthen the country’s education system.
The minister urged students to move beyond conventional academic qualifications by acquiring practical digital skills capable of driving innovation, entrepreneurship and national development.
He also called on universities, research institutions and industries to strengthen collaboration in commercialising research findings to create wealth and employment opportunities.
Earlier, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Students’ Engagement, Comrade Sunday Daya, said the programme was designed to strengthen engagement between government and students while equipping young Nigerians with the digital competencies required for the future.
A major highlight of the event was the presentation of laptop computers to selected students to encourage digital innovation and entrepreneurship.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of Nigerian Education Loan Fund, Akintunde Sawyerr, disclosed that more than 1.7 million students have applied for the Federal Government’s student loan scheme, while about 1.5 million applications have been processed.
According to him, the fund has disbursed over ₦282 billion to students across 288 tertiary institutions nationwide, with more than ₦183 billion paid directly to institutions as tuition fees and nearly ₦98 billion released to students as upkeep allowances.
Sawyerr explained that the interest-free loan scheme requires repayment only after beneficiaries secure employment, adding that plans are underway to expand the programme to about seven million beneficiaries by incorporating vocational institutions and skills acquisition centres across the country.
