The National Universities Commission (NUC) has received €3 million as the first tranche of a $40 million loan obtained from the French Development Agency (AFD) to kick-start ICT development projects in 10 Nigerian universities.
Executive Secretary, Prof. Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, announced this during the inaugural meeting of the 13th NUC Board on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said the funds have been deposited in the Commission’s CBN account, marking the take-off of the ICT Blueprint Project.
Ribadu highlighted ongoing reforms in the university system, including strengthened financial management, licensing of new private universities, expansion of open and distance learning centres, and the ongoing 2025 accreditation exercise.
Chairman of the new board, Emeritus Prof. Oluremi Raphael Aina, outlined five priority areas for the board: performance evaluation, improved global rankings, digital literacy, enhanced research output and institutional reforms.
He stressed the need to remove obstacles affecting university quality and explore sustainable funding models.
Aina added that the board would leverage technology to drive its operations and support ongoing efforts to reposition Nigerian universities globally.
