Abia State celebrated 850 young tech talents yesterday at the graduation ceremony of TechRise Cohort 3, with the state government announcing major incentives to support them as they enter the digital workforce.
The graduands completed intensive ICT training under the TechRise programme and are now expected to drive the state’s digital transformation.
Announcing the support package, the state government said 19 of the best-graduating students have been approved for automatic employment into the Abia State Civil Service.
In addition, all 850 graduands will receive ₦100,000 each, and will also go home with the laptops they used during training.
“Beyond these, I have instructed our ministries to integrate TechRise talents into government ICT projects, ensuring their skills directly improve public service delivery,” the statement said.
The government also disclosed that a special salary structure for ICT professionals in the civil service will be introduced to attract and retain tech talent.
The governor urged the graduands to remain committed to learning and to use their skills responsibly.
“I urge our graduands to remain committed to continuous learning. The greatest reward of the programme is the knowledge and skills they now possess. Use them to build businesses, create innovations, and uplift society—not for harmful purposes,” he said.
He expressed special pride in a team of graduands that developed a functional drone, adding that the state will support them to move the innovation “from concept to commercial reality.”
The administration further announced plans to establish international-standard ICT certification centres in Abia and to expand internet access across the state in partnership with MTN.
“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to our graduands, once again. You are the true architects of our collective future,” the statement concluded”
