ITU, NITDA Strengthen Partnership on Nigeria’s Digital Agenda
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The International Telecommunication Union, ITU, has reiterated its support for Nigeria’s digital development drive following a courtesy visit by the Director of its Telecommunication Development Bureau, Dr Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, to the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, in Abuja.
Zavazava, who was accompanied by the ITU Regional Director for Africa, Dr Emmanuel Manasseh, led the delegation to the Agency as part of ongoing efforts to deepen cooperation on digital transformation and inclusive ICT development.
The ITU team was received on behalf of the Director-General of NITDA by the Director of Corporate Planning and Strategy, Dr Warowei Dimie, along with other directors of the Agency.
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The engagement focused on key digital development challenges confronting Nigeria, Africa and other developing regions, with emphasis on expanding access to digital skills, strengthening infrastructure and promoting sustainable growth of information and communication technologies.
Speaking on behalf of the NITDA Director-General, Dimie said the Agency remained committed to working closely with the ITU, noting that the organisation’s global reach and experience would help Nigeria adapt tested digital solutions and best practices to local realities.
He disclosed that digital skills development dominated the discussions, as Nigeria intensifies efforts to achieve 70 per cent digital literacy across the country by next year.
Dimie added that progress had been recorded through partnerships with the private sector and other stakeholders, while the recently adopted National Digital Literacy Framework now provides a structured and inclusive approach to skills development for different segments of the population.
He also identified poor connectivity in rural and underserved communities as a major challenge, stressing the need for targeted interventions such as grassroots digital training and the deployment of National Youth Service Corps members as digital literacy ambassadors.
In his remarks, Zavazava outlined the mandate of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau, which he said includes bridging the digital divide, promoting inclusive ICT development, strengthening regulatory frameworks and supporting member states to build resilient digital infrastructure.
He said the bureau’s priorities align with Nigeria’s digital transformation goals, adding that the ITU operates through regional and area offices across its 194 member states, including offices in Dakar, Senegal, and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Zavazava further said Nigeria is currently collaborating with the ITU on initiatives covering digital skills development, broadband infrastructure mapping and cybersecurity.
He revealed that Nigeria is among 11 sub-Saharan African countries benefiting from a €15m ITU–European Commission broadband infrastructure mapping and modelling project, while also participating in global cybersecurity drills organised by the ITU in partnership with the United Arab Emirates.
