The Federal Government has unveiled a $40 million digital transformation project, aiming to automate academic transcript and result processing in Nigerian universities—bringing relief to graduates battling paperwork bottlenecks.
Known as the Blueprint ICT Development (Blueprint-ICT-Dev) Project, the initiative targets 10 federal universities, focusing on smart campus development, hybrid learning, and digitised academic administration. It is fully funded by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD).
Speaking at the launch in Abuja,today Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, described the project as “a strategic investment in the future of Nigerian education,” aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“The intervention goes beyond a tech upgrade. It is about embedding digital tools in the heart of our universities to promote research, innovation, and seamless access to academic records,” Alausa said.
Highlighting a key component of the initiative, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, urged all universities to prioritise automation of academic processes.
“I urge all universities, including those not yet selected, to begin digitising staff and student records, and embrace the online processing of academic results and transcripts,” Ribadu said. “This will significantly reduce delays for graduates and improve institutional efficiency.”
He also emphasised the importance of the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN), describing it as the “digital lifeline” of the academic system.
The project’s origin traces back to 2018, when the NUC developed a revitalisation blueprint for the university system, identifying ICT as a reform cornerstone.
Selected institutions span all geopolitical zones, including University of Calabar, University of Ibadan, and Bayero University, Kano. These universities will serve as Centres of Excellence in digital education.
Gom Marian-Report
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