The Nigerian
Communications Commission (NCC) has been awarded the prestigious WSIS 2025
Prize in the "Access to Information and Knowledge" category
for its transformative Digital Awareness Programme (DAP). The honor was
presented to NCC Executive Vice Chairman Dr. Aminu Maida by ITU
Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin during the World Summit on the
Information Society (WSIS) Forum in Geneva.
The award
recognizes DAP's significant impact in bridging Nigeria's digital divide
through innovative grassroots initiatives that promote digital literacy and
internet accessibility across underserved communities. Since its launch, the
program has empowered over 2 million Nigerians with critical digital skills
through community training centers, school outreach programs, and localized
awareness campaigns in indigenous languages.
"This
achievement reflects our commitment to ensuring no Nigerian is left behind in
the digital revolution," stated Dr.
Maida during the acceptance ceremony. The DAP initiative has been particularly
impactful in rural areas, where it has deployed mobile digital classrooms and
partnered with local leaders to overcome cultural barriers to technology
adoption.
The WSIS Prize,
awarded annually by the United Nations, celebrates global excellence in
leveraging information and communication technologies to advance sustainable
development. Nigeria's victory in Category C3 highlights the country's
leadership among developing nations in creating inclusive digital
ecosystems.
Secretary-General
Bogdan-Martin praised the NCC's "holistic approach to digital
inclusion" that combines infrastructure development with human capacity
building. The recognition comes as Nigeria accelerates implementation of its
National Digital Economy Policy, with the NCC playing a pivotal role in
achieving 70% broadband penetration by 2025.
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
