FUTO commissions state-of-the-art digital ICT park

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has generously donated a fully equipped digital ICT park to the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO).

The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, handed over the facility to the university’s management, led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nnenna Oti, during a ceremony held in Owerri, Imo State.

Dr. Maida, who was represented by the NCC’s Head of Emergency Communications Centre, Mr. Shuaibu Swade, stated that the digital park is aimed at accelerating ICT innovation, promoting research capabilities, driving the growth of Nigeria’s digital economy, and transforming ideas into market-ready solutions.

According to him, each digital park is a multidisciplinary facility that houses modern infrastructure under one roof. These include high-capacity computer laboratories, simulation rooms, smart networking systems, collaborative workspaces, and conference halls.

“These spaces are designed to serve as incubation centres for indigenous technology solutions, contributing to the socio-economic transformation of our nation in line with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy,” he said.

“Our goal is to create an ecosystem where state-of-the-art ICT infrastructure supports advanced education in AI and other related fields, while fostering cutting-edge research and skills development.”

He added that the facility was designed to integrate emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) into research and learning processes.

Mr. Swade emphasized the NCC’s unwavering commitment to creating an enabling environment for the ICT sector to flourish.

In her remarks, Prof. Oti expressed sincere gratitude to the NCC for the intervention, stating that the facility would significantly enhance learning and research at FUTO.

“We are very grateful, and we assure you that this edifice will be put to its best use for the benefit of the university,” she added.

Our correspondent learned that construction work on the project began in May 2023 and was completed in October 2024.

The ICT park features a 100-seat capacity hall, five ICT hub halls, a 24-seater lounge with eight double computer workstations, multiple workspaces, a kitchen, and office spaces.