NCC, DBI, ITU Partner to Train More Nigerians in Digital Skills
By Patience Ikpeme
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said it will make use of the new status recently given to the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to teach more Nigerians how to use digital tools, bring more people into the digital world and prepare them for jobs in the digital economy.
The announcement came after a courtesy visit to the NCC headquarters in Abuja by Ms. Robyn Fysh, Senior Digital Skills Officer at the ITU. She was in Nigeria on an official mission to the DBI.
The DBI was recently named an ITU Digital Transformation Centre (DTC). It already serves as the ITU’s Digital Training Academy in Nigeria, which places the institute within a global network that supports digital skills and digital transformation programmes.
Speaking for the NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, Dr. Aminu Maida, the Commission’s Director of Research and Development, Engr. Babagana Digima, received Ms. Fysh and the DBI team, which was led by its President and CEO, Mr. David Daser. Engr. Digima said the new designation offers “a significant opportunity” for the NCC, DBI and ITU to work more closely together and make quality training available across the country, especially for underserved and vulnerable groups.
“DBI’s recognition as an ITU Digital Transformation Centre is a significant milestone for Nigeria’s digital skills ecosystem and an opportunity to expand access to digital literacy and capacity-building programmes across the country,” Digima said.
He described digital literacy and capacity building as very important for Nigeria’s plans to grow its digital economy. He also promised that the NCC will keep working with government agencies, state governments and development partners so that no community is left behind.
Ms. Fysh praised the long-standing partnership among the ITU, NCC and DBI. She spoke about the wide reach of the ITU DTC programme, which was started with Cisco in 2019. According to her, the programme has so far reached more than 870,000 people around the world, and women make up more than half of those who have benefited. She said the programme focuses on giving people in underserved communities practical skills that can help them find jobs and start their own businesses.
“DBI’s new status as a Digital Transformation Centre will help strengthen efforts to empower more people with relevant digital skills and opportunities,” Fysh said.
In his remarks, the DBI chief, Mr. David Daser, thanked the NCC for its support. He noted that the DBI is the first institution in the world to hold both the ITU Academy Training Centre and the Digital Transformation Centre status at the same time. He said this achievement shows the confidence the ITU has in the institute and the backing it receives from the NCC.
Daser asked the NCC to help take the initiative to every part of the country by making use of its infrastructure, networks and partnerships to provide more training and certification opportunities for Nigerians.
He also connected the initiative to Nigeria’s National Digital Literacy Framework, which aims for 95 percent digital literacy by 2030. He said reaching this target will require closer cooperation and steady investment in skills development.
“With this DTC recognition, DBI is better positioned to expand its impact and support development of a digitally skilled workforce for Nigeria and Africa,” he said.
The NCC’s support for the DBI’s new ITU role shows a joint effort by government and private partners to close Nigeria’s digital skills gap and build a steady supply of skilled people for the country’s growing digital economy.
