NCC Wins Top Global ICT Award
By Patience Ikpeme
Nigeria, represented by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has won the prestigious 2025 World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) prize for its Digital Awareness Programme (DAP).
The project secured the top honour in Category C3, focusing on Access to Information and Knowledge, after receiving the highest number of votes among hundreds of entries in the WSIS Prizes competition 2025.
The Digital Awareness Programme is designed to equip secondary schools across Nigeria with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) resources and provide internet connectivity.
This support aids teaching, learning, and research within these institutions. Since its inception in 2006, the programme has extended its benefits to over 300 schools across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, contributing significantly to digital inclusion in education.
Dr. Aminu Maida, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, accepted the award during the WSIS Prizes Winners 2025 Ceremony held on Monday in Geneva, Switzerland. In his acceptance remarks, Dr. Maida expressed gratitude to the hosts, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and WSIS, for acknowledging Nigeria’s efforts in promoting inclusive digital access nationwide. He noted that the award would serve as an additional motivation for the Commission to continue its work.
“This recognition is more than a celebration of past efforts—it is an encouragement to press forward,” Dr. Maida stated. “It affirms that investing in digital inclusion is investing in national development, and that Nigeria’s work is being seen and valued on the global stage.”
Beyond the DAP’s win, four other Nigerian projects also received recognition. These initiatives, which were nominated for the Champions Category of Projects at the WSIS Prizes Ceremony, include: the Women Techsters and the Advanced Digital Empowerment Programme for Tertiary Institutions (ADEPTI) under Capacity Building; the Telecom-Based Research Grant Initiative under Enabling Environment; and the Digital Learning Initiative under e-Learning. Although these projects were not among the top-voted entries, they were acknowledged for their considerable merit and positive impact.
The WSIS Prizes competition aims to recognize and promote projects that effectively use ICTs to advance sustainable development. The competition serves as a platform to demonstrate how technology can be a powerful instrument for addressing global challenges and achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Annually, projects from around the world receive recognition, showcasing diverse approaches to building an inclusive information society.
The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) is a United Nations (UN) initiative dedicated to building a people-centered, inclusive, and development-oriented information society. It provides a multi-stakeholder forum to discuss issues related to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and their role in achieving sustainable development.
The Forum is an annual event that convenes high-level representatives from governments, the private sector, civil society, academia, the technical community, and international organizations, serving as a global platform for implementing the WSIS Action Lines, which are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
