The federal government, under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), on Thursday commissioned and handed over a digital learning centre at the Shehu Sule College of Nursing and Midwifery in Damaturu.

Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the First Lady of Nigeria and Chairperson of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), who spoke via Zoom during the handover ceremony, said the project was a collaboration between the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the RHI.

She explained that the initiative, aligned with the Federal Ministry of Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy, is a cornerstone of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda aimed at accelerating industrialisation and ensuring citizens can participate meaningfully in the digital economy.

In her remarks, the Yobe state First Lady and state Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Hajiya Hafsat Kolere Buni, represented by the Commissioner of Women Affairs, Hajiya Yajalo Badama, stated the facility would enhance healthcare delivery and support the state’s 142 primary healthcare centres.

On his part, the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, represented by Mohammad Kabir Salisu, described the centre as a critical resource to empower the next generation of nurses and midwives with essential digital skills.

Earlier, in her welcome address, the Provost of the College, Hajiya Sabo, underscored the centre’s potential to address Nigeria’s high maternal mortality rate.

She proposed that technology, such as a dedicated communication app for booking appointments and consulting doctors, could be a vital intervention to improve healthcare accessibility for women.

The Provost concluded by thanking dignitaries and national leaders for their support in deploying the project.