NITDA Targets 1,600 ICT Centres Across Nigeria to Boost Digital Inclusion
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to establish at least 1,600 ICT centres across Nigeria in the coming years as part of efforts to ensure nationwide digital inclusion.
Expanding Digital Access Nationwide
NITDA Director General Kashifu Inuwa revealed this ambitious initiative during the commissioning of a community ICT centre in Akesan, Lagos. He disclosed that the agency has already established 222 ICT facilities in the past two years across three categories:
- ICT-equipped school facilities
- Community ICT centres
- ICT hubs
“Our target is to build more than 1,600 across the country,” Inuwa stated. “We want every community, every Nigerian to be part of this national prosperity and inclusivity when it comes to digital economy.”
Aligning with Presidential Agenda
The initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes economic diversification and inclusivity. Inuwa explained that the President’s seventh priority area specifically focuses on accelerating diversification through:
- Industrialization
- Digitization
- Creative arts
- Manufacturing
- Innovation
“The President wants to drive that inclusivity by directing us to design, conceptualize, and build these kinds of centers in underserved and unserved communities,” Inuwa added.
Bridging the Digital Divide
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Dr. Bosun Tijani, represented by Director of e-Government Johnson Bareyei, emphasized the centre’s role in connecting federal digital policies with Lagos’s innovative energy.
The community ICT centres will serve multiple functions:
- Digital skills development through the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme
- Support for startups and tech entrepreneurs
- Regulatory guidance for safe innovation
- Collaboration with local institutions and private sector
The government is also developing the National Digital Economy & e-Governance Bill to provide a legislative framework for digital engagement.