By Noble Uchegbu Uchechukwu Zachariah
OWERRI, NIGERIA – In a remarkable display of academic excellence and digital innovation, eleven standout students from the Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri, represented the institution at the high-profile Renewed Hope Students Leaders Engagement and Digital Acceleration Program, held at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC) on Friday, July 31, 2026.
The delegation, carefully selected by their respective Heads of Department, comprised six students from Computer Engineering and five from Computer Science. Among them was Ogbata Handel Omeoga, an HND 1M Computer Engineering student (2025/2026 session), who emerged as the overall best student representing the institution. For his exceptional performance among a gathering of bright minds, Omeoga was awarded a high-performance Dell laptop by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Students Engagement.
The Enugu event exposed participants to cutting-edge strategies for student-led innovation, equipping them with essential digital competencies needed to stay productive and relevant in today’s rapidly evolving global economy.
Reflecting on the experience, key insights were drawn from two pivotal keynote addresses delivered during the summit:
Student Empowerment through NELFUND: Mr. Akintunde Oluwole Sawyerr, Managing Director of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), outlined the transformative educational funding opportunities initiated under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, designed to relieve the financial burden of tertiary education for Nigerian students.
Grassroots Digital Acceleration: Mr. Oladejo Olawumi, Director of Digital Development Services at the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), highlighted NITDA’s Digital Skills for All initiative. He further detail-mapped global competitiveness pathways facilitated by the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI) through flagship programs such as We-Elevate, iHatch, and the NITDA Digital Innovation Challenge.
Following their successful outing in Enugu, Dr. Mrs. Nwachukwu Catherine Ada Ngozi (Dean, School of Information and Communication Technology – SICT), Dr. Mrs. M.I. Aririguzo (Dean, School of Engineering Technology – SET), and Dr. Paul Saint Christopher (Dean, Student Affairs Division) led the eleven student delegates on a formal courtesy visit to the Rector’s office to present the participants and report the outcome of the program. Receiving the delegation, the Rector of Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Dr. Mrs. Basillia Nkemdilim Igbokwe expressed delight and deep pride in the achievements of the students.
In her official remarks, Dr. Igbokwe commended the students for portraying the institution in a stellar light on a regional stage. She emphasized that the management remains resolute in providing an enabling environment that fosters digital literacy, technological innovation, and competitive academic performance.
“Our vision as a polytechnic has always been to raise industry-ready innovators who can compete both locally and globally. Seeing our students excel at high-level national programs like the Renewed Hope Engagement proves that our academic standards are yielding solid results,”
Dr. Igbokwe stated. “I congratulate Ogbata Handel Omeoga for bringing honour to the institution, and I charge all eleven delegates to act as ambassadors of digital transformation among their peers.”
The visit culminated in the official presentation of the award laptop. Dr. Mrs. Basillia Nkemdilim Igbokwe personally handed over the Dell laptop to Ogbata Handel Omeoga, celebrating his distinction and encouraging him to utilize the tool to further expand his technological skill set.
Expressing his gratitude, Omeoga appreciated the Polytechnic Management, the Federal Government, and the state leadership for creating platforms that empower youth through education and technology, promising to maximize the opportunity to serve as a driver of digital innovation.
