• Minister commissions ICT hub in Akwa Ibom

The Federal Government has applauded the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) for its sustained investments in critical areas of Nigeria’s socio-economic development, describing the Board’s interventions as a practical demonstration of how local content policy can drive education, innovation and community transformation.

The commendation came from the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, during the commissioning of a state-of-the-art Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Centre built by the NCDMB at Ika Comprehensive High School, Ikot Akpan Anwa, Akwa Ibom State.

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Ekpo described the facility as more than a physical structure, saying it represents “a gateway to knowledge, innovation, creativity and opportunity” for young Nigerians.

“Nations that invest in the digital education of their young people today are the ones that will lead the world tomorrow,” the minister declared.

He said the ICT Centre exemplifies how the Nigerian Content Policy is creating socio-economic value beyond the oil and gas industry through community-focused interventions that promote human capital development and digital inclusion.

According to him, the project aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by expanding access to quality education, promoting youth empowerment, accelerating digital transformation and fostering inclusive economic growth.

The minister noted that by equipping young people in rural communities with relevant digital skills, the initiative would prepare them to participate effectively in an increasingly technology-driven global economy.

The ICT Centre features a modern computer laboratory equipped with 50 networked desktop workstations, an interactive smart board, projector, server room and Starlink high-speed internet connectivity to facilitate digital learning, research and computer-based examinations. Designed to accommodate up to 70 users, the facility also includes air-conditioned learning spaces, a staff room, storage facilities and separate conveniences. To guarantee uninterrupted operations, the centre is powered by a 15kVA generator and a 15kVA solar power system with battery backup, supported by a dedicated network infrastructure.

Representing the Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, the Board’s Director of Corporate Services, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, said digital literacy and ICT capacity development remain central to the Board’s human capital development strategy aimed at producing a skilled workforce for both the oil and gas industry and the wider economy.

He said the centre would provide students with access to digital learning platforms, research tools, artificial intelligence applications and global knowledge resources.

“This ICT Centre is more than a building; it is an investment in the future of our young people. It represents our commitment to extending Nigerian Content objectives beyond industry into classrooms, where innovation, technology and skills development can empower the next generation,” Halilu said.

He stressed that the long-term success of the project would depend on effective collaboration among the NCDMB, the school and the host community, urging residents to take ownership of the facility and ensure its proper maintenance.

“Our expectation is not simply to hand over a facility but to see measurable outcomes in the lives of the students who will use it. We therefore call on the school and the host community to safeguard this centre and ensure it continues to deliver value for many years to come,” he added.

Speaking on behalf of the project delivery team, the Managing Director of Standard Institute of Technology Limited, Engr. Alexander Nsidibe, thanked the NCDMB for entrusting the company with the project. He described the ICT Centre as another demonstration of the Board’s commitment to quality infrastructure and human capital development and pledged the company’s support for the facility’s maintenance during the one-year post-handover period.

Earlier, the Principal General of Ika Comprehensive High School, Mrs. Nkom John Umoette, described the ICT Centre as a transformative intervention that would bridge the school’s longstanding digital infrastructure gap.

She noted that the absence of an ICT facility had previously limited students’ exposure to computer-based learning and digital education. According to her, the new centre will equip students with essential digital skills, improve their readiness for computer-based examinations and expand their opportunities for academic excellence and future careers.

A representative of the host community also lauded the Federal Government and the NCDMB for delivering the project, noting that students previously had to travel to Uyo and neighbouring communities to register for and sit examinations such as the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), resulting in additional financial and logistical burdens.

He expressed confidence that the ICT Centre would significantly improve access to digital learning and computer-based examinations while opening new educational opportunities for young people in the community.