Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has approved automatic employment into the state Civil Service for the 19 best graduating students of the third cohort of the Abia TechRise Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Skills Development Programme.

Otti announced the employment on Thursday, August 21, 2026, during the graduation ceremony of 850 youths who completed the three-month programme at the JAAC Secretariat in Umuahia.

The governor also approved a cash gift of N100,000 for each of the 850 graduands and directed that the laptops used by the participants during the training be transferred to them as personal property.

Otti said the measures were part of his administration’s efforts to develop young talents, retain skilled professionals and create opportunities for youths to contribute to public service and the private sector.

He directed the Head of Service and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation to work with the Chief Information Officer of the state to identify ICT gaps across government institutions and deploy qualified TechRise graduates to areas where their skills are required to improve government operations and public service delivery.

The governor explained that retaining the best-performing participants from each cohort was part of his administration’s human capital development strategy.

“A central part of our value multiplication outlook is to retain the best hands from each cohort of the programme and have them contribute directly in improving social service delivery through the institutions of government,” Otti said.

He also directed the establishment of a special salary structure for ICT professionals within the state Civil Service, subject to applicable conditions.

Otti urged the graduands to remain committed to continuous learning, describing the knowledge and skills acquired through the programme as valuable assets in an increasingly technology-driven economy.

He challenged them to turn their skills into viable businesses, innovations and career opportunities, while warning them against using their knowledge for criminal activities.

The governor also commended a team of TechRise participants that developed a functional drone during the programme. He directed the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation to work with the team and explore ways of taking the innovation towards commercial viability.

Otti said the drone project demonstrated the practical outcomes of equipping young people with technical and problem-solving skills.

The governor further disclosed plans by his administration to establish international-standard ICT examination and certification centres in Abia State.

He said the centres would enable residents to obtain professional ICT certifications within the state without travelling outside Abia.

He also disclosed that the state government was working with MTN to improve internet penetration across the state and expand access to digital opportunities.

The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Uzor Nwachukwu, said the TechRise programme had trained 2,210 youths across its three cohorts.

He said the beneficiaries comprised Abians and Nigerians from other parts of the country residing in Abia, stressing that the programme was delivered without discrimination.

Nwachukwu said the three-month training was provided at no cost to beneficiaries through a partnership between the state government and the 17 local government areas.

He urged the latest graduands to apply their skills to real-world problems and take advantage of opportunities created by the digital economy.

The Chief Executive Officer of LearnFactory and TechRise Coordinator, Engr. Chibueze Ukaegbu, disclosed that the programme had also trained 2,500 civil servants in computer skills.

He said the organisers were targeting an increase in the number to 5,000 civil servants.

Ukaegbu added that TechRise had authored books on coding and planned to donate 500 copies to smart schools across the state.

He advocated the introduction of coding education in primary and secondary schools, saying early exposure to programming would help prepare students for future opportunities in technology.

He also disclosed that the organisers had proposed an “Abia One Stop Platform” to the state government as part of their contribution to the development of the state.

Speaking on behalf of the mayors of the 17 local government areas, the Mayor of Umuahia South, Hon. Engr. Chinedu Enwereuzo, described the governor’s policies and programmes as deliberate and purposeful.

He urged the graduands to make effective use of the knowledge acquired during the training and apply their skills to improve their lives and communities.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Lady Oge Maduka, commended Otti for his commitment to human capital development.

She said the programme had equipped participants with practical ICT skills capable of creating opportunities in employment, entrepreneurship and the global digital economy.

Responding on behalf of the graduands, Mr Onuoha Victor Chinedu thanked Governor Otti for providing the opportunity for them to acquire ICT skills.

He said the training had given the beneficiaries greater confidence to pursue future opportunities and appealed to the government to extend similar programmes to more young people.

The ceremony was attended by senior government officials and local government mayors, including the Mayors of Umuahia North, Aba North, Osisioma and Bende.

The latest intervention marks a further expansion of the TechRise programme from skills acquisition to employment, innovation, entrepreneurship and public-sector development.