Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Monday commissioned the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Future Academy, the Senator Oluremi Tinubu Clinic and the National Community Food Bank during a one-day official visit to Jigawa State, describing the projects as critical interventions in youth empowerment, healthcare delivery and the fight against child malnutrition.
The Bola Ahmed Tinubu Future Academy and the modern healthcare facility were facilitated by the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, as part of efforts to deepen digital innovation and expand access to quality healthcare in the country.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony in Hadejia, Mrs Tinubu applauded NITDA’s investment in digital infrastructure, saying the academy would equip young Nigerians with the skills required to compete in the global digital economy while providing practical solutions to local challenges.
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She also launched the National Community Food Bank Programme, an initiative under her office and the Renewed Hope Initiative, aimed at addressing child malnutrition through the provision of nutritious food to pregnant women, nursing mothers and children under the age of six.
According to the First Lady, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed her to champion the campaign against child malnutrition following alarming national statistics, stressing that intervention should begin during pregnancy rather than waiting until children become severely malnourished.
She explained that Food Banks would be established in communities across the country, particularly around Primary Healthcare Centres, to ensure easy access to nutritious food for vulnerable mothers and children.
Mrs. Tinubu disclosed that the Dangote Group had committed food items worth N20 billion to the programme, while the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) would construct Food Bank facilities nationwide with an investment of N30 billion. She added that she personally donated N500 million to support the initiative, with several organisations, including the Bank of Agriculture, also contributing.
Speaking on the newly commissioned academy, NITDA Director-General, Dr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, described the facility as a world-class innovation ecosystem established to nurture the next generation of Nigerian technology innovators and entrepreneurs.
He said the academy features a state-of-the-art Fabrication Laboratory (FabLab) for robotics, artificial intelligence and health technology research, an AI-powered Innovation Hub, startup incubation and pitch centre, Computer-Based Training (CBT) facilities, collaborative workspaces, a modern auditorium and a 60-bed hostel.
According to him, the academy’s specialised health technology laboratories will focus on developing wearable devices for early detection of kidney diseases as well as advanced prosthetics using cutting-edge 3D scanning and printing technology.
Dr. Inuwa explained that the adjacent Senator Oluremi Tinubu Clinic was deliberately integrated with the academy to enable researchers and innovators to deploy homegrown health technologies in real-life medical settings.
The clinic is equipped with a dialysis centre, a fully functional operating theatre, maternity and labour wards, diagnostic laboratories, an integrated oxygen supply system and renewable energy infrastructure to guarantee uninterrupted healthcare services.
Governor Umar Namadi described the projects as landmark investments that would accelerate digital transformation, strengthen healthcare delivery and create opportunities for young people in Jigawa State.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by governors from the Northwest, federal ministers, traditional rulers, members of the National Assembly, development partners, and other dignitaries.
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