By NEWSCOUNT Desk

Photo Caption:

L-R: Dr Adekola Oluwafunmilayo, Director, Monitoring, Orientation and Evaluation, Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA); Mr Akeem Olayiwola, Assistant Director, Lagos State Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology (MIST); Ms Helen Obi, Director, Digital Economy, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); Mr Michael Idah, Country Programme Manager, Christian Blind Mission (CBM), Nigeria Country Office, Abuja; and Mr Lateef Alani, Director and Head of Unit, E-Government, Project Management Office, Lagos State Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology (MIST), during the Digital Citizenship Training for Persons with Disabilities held on September 9-10, 2026, at Cordis Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has trained more than 100 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Lagos State on digital citizenship, cybersecurity, data protection and assistive technologies as part of efforts to promote their meaningful participation in Nigeria’s digital economy.
The two-day Digital Citizenship Training for Persons with Disabilities was held on September 9 and 10, 2026, in Lagos under the theme, “Empowering Persons with Disabilities Through Digital Citizenship for an Inclusive Digital Economy.”
The training exposed participants to digital foundations, internet and digital communication, cybersecurity, data protection, assistive technologies and responsible participation in the digital space.
The programme also focused on practical issues affecting the daily use of digital technology by Persons with Disabilities, including protection of personal information, identification of online scams and responsible handling of sensitive information.
Participants were introduced to accessibility features such as speech-to-text tools, which can make the use of mobile devices easier and support greater independence.
The training also addressed discrimination against Persons with Disabilities, with participants encouraged to understand that negative attitudes towards disability should not determine their confidence, abilities or participation in society.
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said the initiative was part of the Commission’s commitment to building a digital Nigeria where Persons with Disabilities can participate fully in the digital economy.
Maida, who was represented at the programme by the Director, Digital Economy Department of the NCC, Helen Obi, said digital inclusion must go beyond providing internet connectivity.
He explained that digital citizenship involves the knowledge, skills and responsible behaviours required to participate safely and meaningfully online, protect personal information, recognise scams and misinformation, safeguard digital identity and understand digital rights and responsibilities.
According to him, technology can remove barriers faced by Persons with Disabilities in areas such as education and employment, while also supporting entrepreneurship, remote work, access to information and public services, as well as greater independence through assistive technologies.
Maida said the Commission’s objective was to contribute to a Nigeria where disability does not determine whether an individual can obtain education, access public services, secure employment, establish a business or contribute productively to society.
“You are not merely beneficiaries; you are important participants and contributors to Nigeria’s digital economy. Your talents, ideas, businesses and aspirations have value, and technology can help take them further,” he told the participants.
The Lagos training forms part of a broader NCC initiative to provide digital skills training for Persons with Disabilities across the country’s geopolitical zones.
Maida said the programme builds on existing interventions by the Commission to expand digital access and inclusion, including its E-Accessibility Project, which provides ICT tools and assistive technologies to institutions supporting Persons with Disabilities.
He also cited the Commission’s support for research into assistive technology, including an assistive walking-stick prototype for blind and visually impaired persons.
The NCC’s fourth Hackathon, themed “Technology Without Barriers,” was also highlighted as an intervention aimed at encouraging innovators to develop technology solutions that promote accessibility and inclusion.
Maida stressed that connectivity alone would not guarantee meaningful digital inclusion unless Nigerians also had the knowledge and confidence to use technology safely, responsibly and productively.
“The NCC remains committed to promoting connectivity, digital skills, accessibility, online safety and meaningful participation, with the goal of building a digital Nigeria where Persons with Disabilities can learn, work, do business, communicate and access services with dignity and confidence,” he said.
He called for stronger collaboration among government institutions, regulators, technology companies, service providers, development partners, civil society organisations and Organisations of Persons with Disabilities to ensure that accessibility is considered from the outset in the design and deployment of digital products and services.
The EVC also acknowledged the Lagos State Government, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs and other stakeholders supporting the programme.
For the more than 100 participants trained in Lagos, the intervention provided practical knowledge on protecting personal information, identifying potential scams, using assistive technology and navigating the digital environment with greater confidence and independence.
Photo caption
L-R: Dr Adekola Oluwafunmilayo, Director, Monitoring, Orientation and Evaluation, Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA); Mr Akeem Olayiwola, Assistant Director, Lagos State Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology (MIST); Ms Helen Obi, Director, Digital Economy, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); Mr Michael Idah, Country Programme Manager, Christian Blind Mission (CBM), Nigeria Country Office, Abuja; and Mr Lateef Alani, Director and Head of Unit, E-Government, Project Management Office, Lagos State Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology (MIST), during the Digital Citizenship Training for Persons with Disabilities held on September 9-10, 2026, at Cordis Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has trained more than 100 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Lagos State on digital citizenship, cybersecurity, data protection and assistive technologies as part of efforts to promote their meaningful participation in Nigeria’s digital economy.

The two-day Digital Citizenship Training for Persons with Disabilities was held on September 9 and 10, 2026, in Lagos under the theme, “Empowering Persons with Disabilities Through Digital Citizenship for an Inclusive Digital Economy.”

The training exposed participants to digital foundations, internet and digital communication, cybersecurity, data protection, assistive technologies and responsible participation in the digital space.

The programme also focused on practical issues affecting the daily use of digital technology by Persons with Disabilities, including protection of personal information, identification of online scams and responsible handling of sensitive information.

Participants were introduced to accessibility features such as speech-to-text tools, which can make the use of mobile devices easier and support greater independence.

The training also addressed discrimination against Persons with Disabilities, with participants encouraged to understand that negative attitudes towards disability should not determine their confidence, abilities or participation in society.

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said the initiative was part of the Commission’s commitment to building a digital Nigeria where Persons with Disabilities can participate fully in the digital economy.

Maida, who was represented at the programme by the Director, Digital Economy Department of the NCC, Helen Obi, said digital inclusion must go beyond providing internet connectivity.

He explained that digital citizenship involves the knowledge, skills and responsible behaviours required to participate safely and meaningfully online, protect personal information, recognise scams and misinformation, safeguard digital identity and understand digital rights and responsibilities.

According to him, technology can remove barriers faced by Persons with Disabilities in areas such as education and employment, while also supporting entrepreneurship, remote work, access to information and public services, as well as greater independence through assistive technologies.

Maida said the Commission’s objective was to contribute to a Nigeria where disability does not determine whether an individual can obtain education, access public services, secure employment, establish a business or contribute productively to society.

“You are not merely beneficiaries; you are important participants and contributors to Nigeria’s digital economy. Your talents, ideas, businesses and aspirations have value, and technology can help take them further,” he told the participants.

The Lagos training forms part of a broader NCC initiative to provide digital skills training for Persons with Disabilities across the country’s geopolitical zones.

Maida said the programme builds on existing interventions by the Commission to expand digital access and inclusion, including its E-Accessibility Project, which provides ICT tools and assistive technologies to institutions supporting Persons with Disabilities.

He also cited the Commission’s support for research into assistive technology, including an assistive walking-stick prototype for blind and visually impaired persons.

The NCC’s fourth Hackathon, themed “Technology Without Barriers,” was also highlighted as an intervention aimed at encouraging innovators to develop technology solutions that promote accessibility and inclusion.

Maida stressed that connectivity alone would not guarantee meaningful digital inclusion unless Nigerians also had the knowledge and confidence to use technology safely, responsibly and productively.

“The NCC remains committed to promoting connectivity, digital skills, accessibility, online safety and meaningful participation, with the goal of building a digital Nigeria where Persons with Disabilities can learn, work, do business, communicate and access services with dignity and confidence,” he said.

He called for stronger collaboration among government institutions, regulators, technology companies, service providers, development partners, civil society organisations and Organisations of Persons with Disabilities to ensure that accessibility is considered from the outset in the design and deployment of digital products and services.

The EVC also acknowledged the Lagos State Government, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs and other stakeholders supporting the programme.

For the more than 100 participants trained in Lagos, the intervention provided practical knowledge on protecting personal information, identifying potential scams, using assistive technology and navigating the digital environment with greater confidence and independence.