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.
The announcement was contained in a statement issued on Friday, August 21, 2026, by the Chief Press Secretary to the Abia State Governor, Ctz. Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, following the graduation ceremony of 850 youths under Cohort 3 of the programme at the JAAC Secretariat, Umuahia.
The Governor also approved a cash donation of ₦100,000 for each of the 850 graduands and directed that the laptops used during the training be transferred to them as personal property.
Otti further directed the Head of Service, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and the Chief Information Officer of the state to identify existing ICT gaps across government institutions and deploy qualified TechRise graduates to address them.
The Governor said the decision to retain the best-performing participants in the civil service was part of his administration’s strategy to harness local talent and deploy their expertise to improve public service delivery.
“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 stated.
He also directed that a special salary structure be developed for ICT professionals in the state civil service, subject to applicable conditions.
Otti urges graduates to keep learning
According to the statement signed by Ukoha, the Governor charged the graduands to remain committed to continuous learning, stressing that the knowledge and skills acquired during the programme were their most valuable assets.
Otti congratulated the 850 graduates and challenged them to convert their newly acquired skills into viable businesses and innovations while warning them against using their expertise for criminal activities.
The Governor also commended a team of graduands that developed a functional drone and directed the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation to work with the team to explore ways of moving the innovation from concept to commercial viability.
Ukoha further quoted the Governor as disclosing plans to establish international-standard ICT examination and certification centres in Abia. According to Otti, the initiative would enable residents to obtain professional certifications required for career advancement without travelling outside the state.
He also disclosed that the administration was working with MTN to ensure internet penetration across communities in the state.
TechRise trains 2,210 youths
The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Uzor Nwachukwu, said the TechRise programme had trained 2,210 youths from Abia and other parts of Nigeria across three cohorts.
“Over the past one year and half, this programme has produced 2,210 youths in 3 study cohorts, both Abians and other Nigerians from other areas of the country living in Abia without discrimination,” Nwachukwu stated.
He added: “Our dear graduands, over the past three months, you have mastered complex languages, solved intricate problems and turned abstract concepts into functional reality.”
Speaking on behalf of the mayors of the 17 LGAs, the Mayor of Umuahia South, Hon. Engr. Chinedu Enwereuzo, described the Governor’s policies and programmes as intentional and urged the graduands to maximise the opportunities created by the training.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Lady Oge Maduka, thanked Otti for his commitment to human capital development and deliberate investment in young people.
She said the beneficiaries had acquired practical ICT skills capable of opening pathways to employment, entrepreneurship and opportunities across the world.
The Chief Executive Officer of LearnFactory and TechRise Coordinator, Engr. Chibueze Ukaegbu, disclosed that TechRise had also trained 2,500 civil servants in computer skills, with plans to increase the number to 5,000.
Ukaegbu said the organisation had authored books on coding and would donate 500 copies to smart schools to support digital education.
He also proposed the introduction of coding in primary and secondary schools and an “Abia One Stop Platform” to the state government as part of efforts to support the state’s digital development.
Responding on behalf of the graduands, Mr. Onuoha Victor Chinedu thanked the Governor for the training, saying the programme had empowered participants to face the future with courage.
The ceremony was attended by several senior government officials and mayors, including the Mayors of Umuahia North, Hon. Smart Ihuoma; Aba North, Hon. Timothy Iheke; Osisioma, Hon. Chidi Agu; and Bende, Hon. Deacon Uwabunkeonye Bassey.
