By Peace Udugba — The Daily Torch Media
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has pledged to leverage the Digital Bridge Institute’s (DBI) recognition as an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Digital Transformation Centre (DTC) to expand digital skills training and broaden access to opportunities across Nigeria’s expanding digital economy.
According to the Commission, this strategic partnership will accelerate digital literacy, strengthen inclusion, and equip more Nigerians with practical skills essential for employment, entrepreneurship, and active digital participation.
The NCC announced the initiative while receiving the Senior Digital Skills Officer of the ITU, Ms. Robyn Fysh, during a courtesy visit to its headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday. Fysh’s visit forms part of her official engagements in Nigeria following DBI’s recent designation by the ITU.
In addition to its DTC status, DBI serves as an ITU Academy Training Centre (ATC) in Nigeria—a dual role that significantly expands access to internationally recognized digital skills training.
Representing the NCC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Aminu Maida, the Director of Research and Development, Engr. Babagana Digima, received Fysh alongside a DBI delegation led by its President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. David Daser.
Digima highlighted DBI’s ITU recognition as a major catalyst to deepen collaboration among the NCC, DBI, and ITU in scaling digital skills development nationwide. He emphasized that digital literacy and capacity building remain central to the country’s economic ambitions, particularly for underserved and vulnerable communities.
“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 noted that the NCC will continue partnering with government agencies, state governments, development partners, and key stakeholders to widen access to digital training, ensuring more citizens can meaningfully participate in the modern economy.
Fysh commended the enduring partnership between the NCC and ITU in promoting digital development and skills acquisition in Nigeria. She shared that the DTC initiative—launched globally in partnership with Cisco in 2019—has already reached over 870,000 participants worldwide, with women accounting for more than half of the beneficiaries.
The program focuses on equipping underserved communities with practical digital capabilities that directly improve employability and entrepreneurial success.
“DBI’s new status as a Digital Transformation Centre will help strengthen efforts to empower more people with relevant digital skills and opportunities,” Fysh noted.
DBI President David Daser expressed gratitude to the NCC for its institutional support in securing the ITU recognition. He revealed that DBI recently achieved a historic global milestone by becoming the first institution in the world to simultaneously hold status as both an ITU Academy Training Centre and an ITU Digital Transformation Centre.
Daser called for sustained NCC involvement to scale the training nationwide, leveraging the Commission’s infrastructure, networks, and industry partnerships to extend certified digital skills to remote communities.
He added that this initiative directly aligns with Nigeria’s National Digital Literacy Framework, which targets a 95 percent digital literacy rate by 2030. Achieving this ambitious goal, Daser stressed, will require stronger cross-sector collaboration and sustained investment in human capital.
Tags: NCC, ITU, Digital Bridge Institute, DBI, digital literacy, digital skills, digital economy, digital inclusion, Nigeria technology, Aminu Maida, David Daser, Robyn Fysh
