The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has announced plans to establish six new Centres of Excellence in Nigerian public universities to strengthen training and research in robotics, coding, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cybersecurity.
The initiative is aimed at building advanced technological capacity in Nigeria’s tertiary education system and preparing students for emerging global opportunities in digital innovation and cybersecurity.
Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, disclosed the plan in Abuja while inaugurating the advisory committee that will oversee the process of selecting the universities that will host the new centres.
According to Echono, the additional centres will expand the number of TETFund-supported Centres of Excellence across the country from 30 to 36 once the new institutions are selected and the facilities become operational.
He explained that the committee’s immediate responsibility is to develop clear criteria and recommend universities with the capacity to host the specialised technology centres.
“The committee’s primary assignment is to guide the selection of institutions that will host the new centres and ensure that the chosen universities have demonstrable strengths in robotics, coding, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cybersecurity,” Echono said.
The advisory committee is chaired by Yakubu Ochefu, the immediate past Secretary-General of the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities.
Under its terms of reference, the committee will identify universities with proven academic strength, research capacity, and infrastructure required to sustain high-level technological training and innovation.
It is also expected to recommend up to six universities that will host the centres while ensuring that each of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones is represented, in line with the provisions of the TETFund Act.
Echono emphasised that the initiative aligns with national priorities around technological development, security, and youth empowerment.
“We are not only addressing issues around national security, but we are also preparing future generations of our youthful population to contribute meaningfully to national development and to fill knowledge and skills gaps globally,” he said.
He added that the decision to establish the centres followed presidential approval to expand Nigeria’s capacity in emerging technology sectors.
“We secured Mr President’s approval to establish at least six additional centres of excellence across the country. This is deliberate, as we aim to reflect all six geopolitical zones while tapping into the abundant talents that exist in Nigeria,” Echono stated.
The centres will be located exclusively in public universities and equipped with advanced facilities to support teaching, research, and innovation in emerging technology fields.
Echono directed the committee to complete the first phase of its assignment within 30 days and submit its recommendations for the universities that will host the centres.
Responding on behalf of the committee, Ochefu assured that the panel would adopt a transparent and merit-based process.
“We will develop clear criteria to identify institutions with proven capacity in robotics, coding, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cybersecurity while ensuring equitable representation across the six geopolitical zones,” he said.
