The Federal Government has launched the National Digital Economy Research Clusters under Project BRIDGE to reposition Nigerian universities as hubs of innovation, entrepreneurship and global competitiveness.
The initiative was announced in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs. Boriowo Folasade.
According to the statement, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, said the initiative aligns education, research and digital infrastructure to drive Nigeria’s transition to a knowledge-based economy.
Alausa explained that Project BRIDGE, a 2 billion dollar investment, would deploy more than 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic infrastructure to connect universities and other critical institutions nationwide.
He said the research clusters would focus on six priority areas, including connectivity, digital public infrastructure, digital skills, digital economy, trust and safety, and artificial intelligence.
The minister noted that the programme was designed to ensure that research produces practical outcomes such as policy solutions, innovations and job creation.
He added that the initiative complements ongoing reforms such as the Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Business Incubation Certification (EIBIC) programme, the Student Venture Capital Grant and ongoing efforts to strengthen the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN).
Also speaking, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, emphasised the importance of research and local knowledge in driving digital transformation.
Tijani noted that the initiative would be supported by programmes such as the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) Programme and the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy.
The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to leveraging digital innovation as a catalyst for economic growth and national development.
