PH0TOS: First Lady Commissions Digital Innovation Academy, Modern Healthcare Centre in Jigawa
HADEJIA, JIGAWA STATE — Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has commissioned two landmark digital innovation and healthcare facilities in Hadejia, Jigawa State, describing them as strategic investments that will accelerate technological advancement, improve healthcare delivery and empower young Nigerians with future-ready skills.
The projects—the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Future Academy and the Senator Oluremi Tinubu Clinic—were inaugurated in Hadejia Local Government Area as part of broader efforts to promote innovation-driven development and expand access to quality healthcare in underserved communities.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, the First Lady said the facilities align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which prioritises healthcare, digital transformation, human capital development and inclusive socio-economic growth.
She noted that the integrated innovation and healthcare hub would bridge the gap between cutting-edge technology and medical services while creating opportunities for digital skills acquisition, research, entrepreneurship and improved health outcomes.
Mrs. Tinubu urged young Nigerians to maximise the opportunities provided by the Academy by acquiring digital and entrepreneurial skills capable of positioning them for leadership in the rapidly evolving global digital economy.
She also commended the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Malam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, for his visionary leadership and sustained efforts toward expanding digital inclusion, innovation and technology-driven development across the country.
PRNigeria gathered that the Senator Oluremi Tinubu Clinic was constructed and fully equipped by FutureMap Foundation in partnership with eHealth Africa in recognition of the First Lady’s commitment to improving healthcare services for vulnerable and underserved populations.
The Bola Ahmed Tinubu Future Academy, meanwhile, is a Federal Government initiative implemented by NITDA to nurture digital talent, promote research, strengthen innovation and support the growth of Nigeria’s knowledge-based economy.
The Academy boasts world-class facilities covering the entire innovation ecosystem, including a Fabrication Laboratory (FabLab), Innovation Laboratory, Health Wearables Research Unit, Advanced Prosthetics Centre, Pitch and Incubation Space, Atrium, Theatre and Auditorium, Computer-Based Test (CBT) Centre, Training Classrooms and Student Hostels.
Speaking during the ceremony, the Director-General of NITDA, Malam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, explained that the Academy and the Clinic were deliberately designed as complementary institutions where technological innovations can be translated into practical healthcare solutions.
According to him, the facilities will drive research and the development of indigenous digital technologies for the early detection, prevention and management of chronic kidney disease and other critical health challenges.
He described the Future Academy as a sustainability-driven innovation hub that will convert technical knowledge into commercially viable products capable of addressing societal challenges, creating employment opportunities and stimulating economic growth.
“Beyond developing digital skills, the Academy will nurture innovators and entrepreneurs whose ideas and solutions can improve lives, strengthen healthcare delivery and contribute significantly to Nigeria’s digital economy,” he said.
Inuwa further disclosed that the Senator Oluremi Tinubu Clinic would function not only as a modern primary healthcare facility but also as a deployment centre where health technologies developed by researchers and innovators at the Academy’s Fabrication Laboratory would be tested and deployed for public benefit.
He said the facility is equipped with a modern dialysis centre, fully fitted operating theatre, labour and maternity wards, integrated oxygen supply system and reliable power infrastructure to guarantee uninterrupted healthcare services.
The commissioning comes shortly after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the establishment of the National Health Technology and Data Analytics Office (NHTDAO) to coordinate Nigeria’s digital health transformation agenda.
The President also constituted a high-level Steering Committee, with NITDA as one of the key implementing agencies, to provide strategic direction for the initiative.
Observers say the commissioning of the Hadejia innovation academy and healthcare centre represents another significant milestone in the Federal Government’s efforts to harness technology, research and innovation to improve healthcare delivery, deepen digital inclusion and accelerate sustainable national development.
By PRNigeria