The Federal Government has inaugurated a $9 million digital economy research clusters to boost innovation in academia. Unveiling the research clusters in Abuja last week, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, said it was a flagship initiative under Project BRIDGE (Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth).
The Project BRIDGE, financed by the World Bank, is aimed at engaging university-led research consortia to deliver high-quality, policy-relevant research across six thematic clusters. Tijani said the progress driven by deliberate policies under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, was also laying strong policy foundations through such initiatives.
He said the policies were Digital Economy Bill, the National Data Exchange System, the National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy, and the Alphanumeric Digital Postcode System. The minister noted that Nigeria must develop homegrown knowledge to sustain growth in the sector. “The digital economy is a knowledgedriven sector. We can not rely only on ideas developed elsewhere.
We must generate our own insights rooted in our realities. “We are building talent through the Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, and expanding infrastructure through Project BRIDGE and NUCAP.
“We are also strengthening our space and communications capacity with the approval of two new satellites,” he said. Tijani called on universities to go beyond teaching and become centres of research and problem-solving for the country. He recalled that in 2023, the ministry funded 45 research projects in AI, which had already produced over 27 peer-reviewed publications in reputable international journals.
“This is not just about output, but about building credibility, strengthening our research base, and contributing to global knowledge,” he said. The minister also said initiatives such as the AI Collective and N-ATLAS, Nigeria’s indigenous large language model project, were key milestones in advancing research and innovation. He cited improvements in Nigeria’s global standing, noting that the country climbed from 103rd position in 2023 to 72nd out of 195 countries in the 2025 Oxford Government AI Readiness Index.
According to him, Nigeria now ranks 35th globally in Policy Capacity and 49th in Development and Diffusion, reflecting growth in talent, research and innovation. Tijani said the newly launched Digital Economy Research Clusters would bring together universities, researchers and global partners to focus on key areas.
He listed the areas to include connectivity and meaningful access, digital public infrastructure and government services, skills and human capital. Others are jobs and the digital economy, trust and consumer protection, as well as AI and emerging technologies. He said the clusters were designed to drive collaboration, generate policy-relevant insights and strengthen long-term research capacity.
“These research clusters are practical and impactful. They will deepen Nigeria’s ability to adopt, shape and deploy technology effectively,” he said. The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to positioning Nigeria as a key player in the global digital economy. “Our ambition is clear. We want Nigeria to contribute to shaping the global digital economy, and this requires new thinking, evidence and talent.
“This initiative places our universities and researchers at the centre of that ambition,” he said. In his remarks, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said Nigerian universities needed to evolve beyond theoretical learning centres into institutions that nurture innovators, entrepreneurs and problem-solvers capable of competing globally.
Alausa said the newly introduced research clusters would help institutionalise the gains of expanded connectivity by focusing on key areas such as digital infrastructure, governance, skills development, and emerging technologies. “These clusters will help us build innovators and develop solutions that can transform lives in Nigeria and globally,” Alausa informed.
Speaking earlier on behalf of other universities, the Vice Chancellor of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Prof. Ayodeji Agboola, said the initiative needed more awareness to enable the youths key into it. Agboola commended the minister and expressed commitment to the research project. In a related development, the federal government in its resolve to use Nigerian universities to drive technology and engineering, last month approved the allocation of N48 billion to 12 selected universities.
The intervention of N4 billion to each of the universities is a critical step toward equipping Nigerian students with practical skills, and in alignment with industry demands. The feat marks a significant milestone in the federal government’s drive to revitalise engineering education, enhance research capacity, and produce a new generation of competent engineers and technologists capable of competing globally.
It is designed to bridge the persistent gap between theory and practice, enhance innovation, restore global competitiveness to Nigerian universities, and forms part of broader efforts to strengthen infrastructure, promote innovation, and position Nigeria’s universities as centres of excellence in engineering and technology education.
The sum is for the rehabilitation of engineering and technology workshops, upgrade of laboratories, and installation of modern equipment in the institutions. Beneficiary institutions include the Federal Universities of Technology in Minna, Akure, Babura, and Owerri; the Nigerian Army University, Biu; the African Aviation and Aerospace University; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; and Shehu Shagari University of Education, Sokoto. he benefiting state universities are Delta State University, Abraka, and the University of Ilesa, Osun State.
The intervention aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda and forms part of broader efforts to strengthen infrastructure, promote innovation, and position Nigeria’s universities as centres of excellence in engineering and technology education. To this effect, the federal government has inaugurated a Ministerial Monitoring, Evaluation and Implementation Committee to oversee the TETFund Special High-Impact Intervention Project.
While inaugurating the Committee, at the ocassion, the Minister of Education, Maruf Olatunji Alausa, reaffirmed Government’s commitment to repositioning engineering and technology education as a driver of national development. Dr. Alausa stressed that the initiative goes beyond physical infrastructure, noting that success will be measured by fully functional facilities, improved practical competencies, and the production of job-ready graduates.
He clarified that the N4 billion allocation per institution is dedicated to engineering and technology upgrades and is separate from other 2026 TETFund disbursements, with additional investments planned to strengthen science, engineering, and medical laboratories nationwide.
He charged Committee members to ensure strict compliance with procurement regulations, maintain transparent digital records, and submit periodic performance reports to the Ministry and TETFund. Emphasising the importance of academic stability, he reiterated that sustainable national growth depends on a stable and quality education system.
