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By Chinenye Anuforo
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has stepped up engagement with Nigeria to accelerate digital skills development, expand broadband infrastructure and strengthen national cybersecurity resilience, following a visit to the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in Abuja.
Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau, Dr. Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, led the delegation, accompanied by the organisation’s Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Emmanuel Manasseh. The visit signals growing alignment between global digital development priorities and Nigeria’s ambition to build an inclusive, technology-driven economy.
The delegation was received on behalf of NITDA’s Director-General by the Director of Corporate Planning and Strategy, Dr. Warowei Dimie, alongside other senior officials of the agency. Deliberations centred on practical pathways to close Nigeria’s digital divide, strengthen institutional capacity and accelerate nationwide access to digital opportunities.
Speaking during the engagement, Dimie emphasised that collaboration with the ITU is critical to Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda, particularly in transferring proven global frameworks and implementation models into the country’s local ecosystem. He noted that digital skills development remains a central national priority as Nigeria targets 70 per cent digital literacy across the population within the next year.
According to him, measurable progress is already being achieved through coordinated partnerships with the private sector and development stakeholders, supported by the rollout of Nigeria’s National Digital Literacy Framework, which provides a structured pathway for inclusive skills acquisition across different demographic groups.
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However, he acknowledged that limited connectivity in rural and underserved communities continues to threaten inclusive growth, underscoring the need for targeted grassroots interventions. These include expanded community-based training initiatives and the proposed deployment of National Youth Service Corps members as digital literacy ambassadors to reach populations currently excluded from the digital economy.
In his remarks, Zavazava positioned Nigeria as a strategic partner in the ITU’s broader mission to bridge the global digital divide, strengthen regulatory and institutional frameworks and support resilient digital infrastructure across developing economies.
He revealed that Nigeria is among 11 sub-Saharan African countries participating in a €15 million ITU–European Commission programme focused on broadband infrastructure mapping and modelling, an initiative expected to improve investment planning, network expansion and universal connectivity outcomes.
Zavazava also highlighted Nigeria’s growing role in global cybersecurity cooperation through participation in ITU-led simulation exercises conducted in partnership with the United Arab Emirates. The most recent drill brought together more than 136 countries, reflecting increasing international urgency around cyber resilience and coordinated digital defence.
The visit highlighted Nigeria’s rising profile in global digital policy conversations and signals deeper technical collaboration aimed at translating international support into measurable national outcomes.
For policymakers and industry stakeholders, the strengthened ITU–NITDA engagement reflects a broader shift from policy ambition to execution, where digital literacy, secure infrastructure and inclusive connectivity are emerging as defining pillars of Nigeria’s economic competitiveness in an increasingly digital world.
