By George Ozalla
Photo Caption:
L-R: David Daser, President/CEO, Digital Bridge Institute, Nigeria; Robyn Fysh, Senior Digital Skills Officer, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Headquarters, Geneva; and Engr. Babagana Digima, Director, Research and Development, Nigerian Communications Commission, during a courtesy visit to the Commission’s headquarters on September 30, 2026.
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 accelerate digital literacy, expand digital inclusion and equip more Nigerians with the skills required to participate effectively in the digital economy.
The Commission stated this on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, when the Senior Digital Skills Officer of the ITU, Ms. Robyn Fysh, paid a courtesy visit to the NCC headquarters in Abuja.
The visit was part of Fysh’s official engagement in Nigeria and followed DBI’s designation by the ITU as a Digital Transformation Centre, placing the Nigerian institute within a global network of institutions working to advance digital skills and digital transformation. DBI also serves as the ITU’s Digital Training Academy (DTA) in Nigeria.
Representing the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, the Director, Research and Development, Engr. Babagana Digima, received Fysh and members of the DBI delegation led by its President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. David Daser.
Digima said the NCC was committed to innovation, capacity development and digital transformation, adding that DBI’s recognition as an ITU Digital Transformation Centre provided an opportunity to strengthen collaboration among the NCC, DBI and the ITU in the development of digital skills and promotion of digital inclusion.
“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,” he said.
He stated that the Commission regarded digital literacy and capacity building as important to Nigeria’s digital economy aspirations, expressing confidence that DBI’s new designation would strengthen access to quality digital skills training, particularly for underserved and vulnerable populations.
Digima described DBI’s dual designation as a landmark achievement that would enable Nigeria to address digital exclusion while developing globally competitive ICT expertise.
“The NCC remains committed to initiatives that equip Nigerians with the skills needed to participate meaningfully in the digital economy. We will continue to work closely with relevant government agencies, state governments, development partners and other stakeholders to expand access to digital skills training and ensure that no community is left behind in Nigeria’s digital transformation journey,” he added.
Earlier, Fysh commended the longstanding partnership between the NCC and the ITU in promoting digital development and digital skills acquisition in Nigeria.
“The ITU values its strong partnership with the NCC and DBI, and we are encouraged by the progress being made to advance digital skills and inclusion in Nigeria,” she said.
She said the visit provided an opportunity for the three organisations to exchange ideas, strengthen their collaboration and explore areas of mutual interest in support of digital transformation and the empowerment of citizens through digital skills and innovation.
Giving an overview of the ITU Digital Transformation Centres initiative, Fysh said the programme was launched in partnership with Cisco in 2019 and had reached more than 870,000 participants globally, with women accounting for more than half of the beneficiaries.
According to her, the programme focuses on equipping people in underserved communities with practical digital skills that can improve their employability, support entrepreneurship and enable greater participation in the digital economy.
“DBI’s new status as a Digital Transformation Centre will help strengthen efforts to empower more people with relevant digital skills and opportunities,” Fysh added.
Daser expressed appreciation to the NCC for its support, which he said enabled DBI to pursue and attain its recognition by the ITU as a Digital Transformation Centre.
“This achievement reflects the confidence of the ITU in DBI and the unwavering support of the NCC in advancing digital capacity development in Nigeria,” he said.
He said DBI had recently achieved what he described as a historic milestone by becoming the first institution globally to simultaneously hold the status of an ITU Academy Training Centre (ATC) and an ITU Digital Transformation Centre (DTC), following support received from the NCC.
Daser stressed the importance of the Commission’s continued involvement in expanding the initiative nationwide, saying the NCC could use its infrastructure, networks and partnerships to extend digital skills training and certification opportunities to underserved communities.
“As a prominent state actor, the NCC can help drive this agenda by leveraging its infrastructure, networks and partnerships to extend digital skills training and certification opportunities to underserved communities nationwide,” he said.
He added that the initiative was aligned with the objectives of Nigeria’s National Digital Literacy Framework, which targets 95 per cent digital literacy by 2030.
Daser said achieving the target would require stronger collaboration and sustained investment in digital skills development, particularly for underserved populations.
He acknowledged the role of the NCC in DBI’s journey towards the ITU recognition, saying the achievement reflected the commitment of both institutions to strengthening Nigeria’s digital capacity and developing the country as a hub for digital skills development in Africa.
“As a Digital Transformation Centre, we are better positioned to expand our impact and support the development of a digitally skilled workforce for Nigeria and Africa,” he added.
