NCC Showcases Digital Social Investments at APRA Conference
By Patience Ikpeme
The 35th annual conference of the African Public Relations Association (APRA) held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from May 13th to 17th, 2024, highlighted various digital social investments in Nigeria facilitated by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan, the Head of Media Management Relations at the NCC, presented these initiatives, later being elected Secretary-General of APRA.
Ibietan’s presentation, titled “Digital Inclusion as Arbiter of Accessible PR: A Case of the Nigerian Communications Commission,” detailed 36 initiatives by the NCC designed to enhance infrastructure, support SMEs, empower educational institutions, and promote digital skills among Nigerian youths.
Among the highlighted initiatives were, Advanced Digital Awareness Programme for Tertiary Institutions (ADAPTI); Campus Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIEP) programme; e-PAD project for 232 institutions; Digital Appreciation Project (DAP) for 247 secondary schools; Digital Literacy Training for Teachers (DLT); Digital Integration Programme (DIP) for MSMEs and E-Accessibility programme for persons with disabilities
Other notable projects included the Nigerian Girls Can Code Competition, Build A-Thon, Tertiary Institutions Digital Centre (TIDC) for 250 institutions, 2,291 Digital Nigeria Centers (DNC), Local Application and Content Deployment programme, and 72 Rural Broadband Initiative projects.
Ibietan noted the significant impact of these interventions, stating, “These initiatives have shrunk the digital divide, opened new avenues for participation in various socio-economic processes, and facilitated accessible digital public relations in Nigeria.”
The APRA conference, themed “One Africa, One Voice: Bridging Africa’s Communication Divide,” featured over 20 papers, with Ibietan’s presentation uniquely showcasing a country’s digital infrastructure investments. His discussion emphasized that digital inclusion involves not only access to technology but also the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary for effective utilization.
Ibietan underscored the benefits of digital inclusion, which promotes economic and social opportunities, civic engagement, education, digital literacy, innovation, and entrepreneurship, while bridging the digital divide and reducing inequalities. He highlighted Nigeria’s resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, attributing it to the nation’s investment in broadband infrastructure, which allowed a swift transition to digital platforms.
In his conclusion, Ibietan advocated for ongoing, seamless communication among stakeholders to ensure efficient management and maximization of the benefits from social investment and infrastructural projects.
