NITDA, ITU and DBI Partner to Expand Digital Skills Training Across Nigeria
According to the delegation, DBI’s ATC status enables it to deliver ITU-certified professional courses for engineers and professionals across Africa. With its new DTC designation, DBI will also focus on providing free digital literacy training to citizens in rural and underserved communities.
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has held discussions with the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on expanding digital skills training and improving digital inclusion across Nigeria.
NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, received a delegation from DBI and the ITU during a courtesy visit to the Agency’s headquarters. The delegation was led by ITU Senior Digital Skills Officer Robin Fish.
During the visit, the delegation announced that DBI has become the **world’s first institution to hold both ITU Academy Training Centre (ATC) and Digital Transformation Centre (DTC) designations**.
According to the delegation, DBI’s ATC status enables it to deliver ITU-certified professional courses for engineers and professionals across Africa. With its new DTC designation, DBI will also focus on providing free digital literacy training to citizens in rural and underserved communities.
The DTC Initiative, launched by the ITU and Cisco in 2019, currently operates in 16 countries, including eight in Africa. The initiative brings digital skills training to villages and informal communities, with beneficiaries receiving free ITU certificates upon completion.
DBI proposed leveraging NITDA’s nationwide Digital Learning Centres to expand the DTC programme and increase grassroots access to digital skills training across Nigeria.
In response, the NITDA Director-General welcomed the collaboration, noting that its objectives align with Nigeria’s National Digital Literacy Framework and the Federal Government’s target of achieving 95% digital literacy by 2030.
Abdullahi also acknowledged the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NITDA and DBI and directed that it be reviewed for immediate action.
Both parties expressed their commitment to strengthening collaboration on digital skills development and expanding access to digital literacy opportunities across Nigeria.
