The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has handed over its Digital Industrial Park and Learning Centre in Enugu to the state government under a 15-year operational lease, in a move aimed at expanding digital skills, artificial intelligence, startup development and technology-driven employment.
The intervention comes against the backdrop of a significant digital-skills gap in Nigeria. UNICEF reports that only 36 per cent of the country’s population uses the internet, while 78 per cent of Nigerian youths lack digital literacy skills. The agency also estimates that only 47 per cent of teachers have basic Information and Communication Technology skills.
The figures highlight the challenge of ensuring that Nigeria’s growing digital economy translates into opportunities for young people, businesses and communities across the country.
The NCC says the Enugu facilities are intended to help address that gap by providing spaces where young people can acquire relevant digital skills, entrepreneurs can develop ideas into viable businesses and technology-enabled enterprises can connect with wider markets.
Speaking at the handover ceremony in Enugu, the NCC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Aminu Maida, said the facilities were conceived as platforms for innovation, entrepreneurship and human capital development.
Maida said the initiative would support digital skills development, startup growth, investment attraction and job creation, particularly in business process outsourcing, knowledge process outsourcing and other technology-enabled services.
He stressed that the impact of the facilities would be measured by the people trained, businesses created, ideas developed and jobs generated rather than by the physical infrastructure alone.
“Buildings alone do not create innovation. People do. Ideas do. Entrepreneurs do. And partnerships bring all these elements together,” he said.
The NCC chief executive said the decision to transfer the facilities for activation by the Enugu State Government was informed by the state’s investments in education, infrastructure, innovation and digital capacity.
He said the Commission expected the partnership to support Enugu’s ambition to become a leading destination for digital services, artificial intelligence, startup incubation, outsourcing, research and other technology-enabled enterprises.
The development also comes as the Federal Government expands its focus on digital-skills development. In May 2026, the government announced a programme targeting 50,000 Nigerian youths for training in globally competitive digital skills.
Maida linked the Enugu partnership to Nigeria’s broader digital economy agenda, including digital infrastructure, digital literacy, innovation and indigenous content development.
He said the initiative also supports President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the national ambition to build a $1 trillion economy driven by productivity, innovation and private-sector growth.
The NCC boss stressed that investment in infrastructure must be matched by investment in people, particularly as artificial intelligence, automation and other emerging technologies continue to transform industries, employment and public service delivery.
He said access to technology alone was insufficient, noting that Nigerians must also have the knowledge and skills required to use digital tools productively.
According to him, digital learning facilities, robotics and artificial intelligence laboratories will become increasingly important as education and the workplace evolve alongside emerging technologies.
Maida commended the Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, for what he described as purposeful leadership and investments in education, infrastructure and skills development.
He specifically cited the state’s plan to recruit about 6,500 teachers under the Smart Green Schools initiative, describing investment in human capital as critical to sustainable development.
“No investment delivers more enduring returns than investment in people,” he said.
The NCC executive vice chairman said the success of Nigeria’s digital economy would require sustained collaboration among the Federal Government, state governments, the private sector, academic institutions and development partners.
The Digital Industrial Park and Learning Centre are expected to provide a platform for young people to develop marketable digital skills, entrepreneurs to build viable businesses and technology-driven enterprises to connect with opportunities within and beyond Nigeria.
The NCC reaffirmed its commitment to initiatives aimed at expanding digital opportunities, strengthening human capital and ensuring that communities across Nigeria are not left behind in the country’s digital transformation.