The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has formalised a partnership with the Enugu State Government to operationally lease the Commission’s Digital Industrial Park and Learning Centre in Enugu, as part of efforts to expand digital skills, innovation and technology-driven economic opportunities.
The partnership comes amid rapid changes in the global economy, with artificial intelligence reshaping industries, automation transforming the nature of work and digital technologies creating new opportunities for economic growth.
According to the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, investment in digital skills must go hand in hand with investment in digital infrastructure, noting that access to technology is only meaningful when people have the capacity to use it productively.
He said the facilities were established as platforms for innovation, entrepreneurship and human capital development, with the broader objective of deepening digital skills, supporting startups, attracting investment and creating jobs.
They are also expected to help position Nigeria as a competitive destination for business process outsourcing (BPO), knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) and other technology-enabled services.
According to Maida, the infrastructure alone cannot drive innovation, noting that people, ideas, entrepreneurs and strategic partnerships are essential to transforming digital facilities into productive economic assets.
With the activation of the facilities by the Enugu State Government, the NCC boss expressed optimism that young Nigerians would gain access to 21st-century skills, while entrepreneurs would have opportunities to develop ideas into viable businesses.
The initiative is also expected to enable local enterprises to connect with wider markets and opportunities within Enugu State, across Nigeria and beyond.
Maida noted that the partnership aligns with the Federal Government’s digital economy objectives and supports the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly the ambition to build a $1 trillion economy driven by productivity, innovation and private-sector growth.
He, however, reaffirmed its commitment to initiatives that expand digital opportunities, strengthen human capital and promote inclusive access to technology, stressing that no community should be left behind in Nigeria’s digital transformation.