Nigeria’s NCC to Leverage ITU Digital Centre to Expand Digital Skills Training

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)  says it will leverage the Digital Bridge Institute’s (DBI) designation as an International Telecommunication Union (ITU)  Digital Transformation Centre (DTC) to expand digital literacy, strengthen digital inclusion and equip more Nigerians with skills for participation in the digital economy.

The Commission disclosed this during a courtesy visit by the ITU’s Senior Digital Skills Officer, Robyn Fysh, to the NCC headquarters in Abuja. The engagement was held as part of Fysh’s official visit to Nigeria and her mission to DBI following the Institute’s designation as an ITU Digital Transformation Centre.

DBI’s new status places the Institute within the ITU’s global network of institutions focused on digital skills development and digital transformation. The Institute also serves as the ITU’s Digital Training Academy in Nigeria.

Representing NCC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Aminu Maida, Director of Research and Development Babagana Digima said the designation provides an opportunity to deepen collaboration between the NCC, DBI and ITU on digital skills development and inclusion.

Digima described DBI’s recognition as a significant milestone for Nigeria’s digital skills ecosystem, particularly in expanding access to digital literacy and capacity-building programmes for underserved and vulnerable populations. He said the NCC would continue working with government agencies, state governments, development partners and other stakeholders to expand access to digital skills training nationwide.

Fysh commended the longstanding partnership between the NCC and ITU in advancing digital development and skills acquisition in Nigeria. She said the engagement would allow the organisations to exchange ideas, strengthen collaboration and identify areas of mutual interest in accelerating digital transformation and empowering citizens through digital skills and innovation.

According to Fysh, the ITU Digital Transformation Centres initiative, launched in partnership with Cisco in 2019, has reached more than 870,000 participants globally, with women accounting for more than half of the beneficiaries. The programme focuses on providing underserved communities with practical digital skills that can improve employability, entrepreneurship and participation in the digital economy.

DBI President and Chief Executive Officer David Daser also thanked the NCC for its support in helping the Institute secure the ITU designation. He said DBI had become the first institution globally to simultaneously hold the status of an ITU Academy Training Centre (ATC) and an ITU Digital Transformation Centre (DTC).

Daser called for continued NCC involvement in scaling the initiative nationwide, particularly by leveraging the Commission’s infrastructure, networks and partnerships to extend digital skills training and certification opportunities to underserved communities.

He added that the initiative supports Nigeria’s National Digital Literacy Framework, which targets 95 percent digital literacy by 2030. He said achieving the target would require stronger collaboration and sustained investment in digital skills development, especially for underserved populations.