The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Government’s commitment to training over 1.1 million residents of Enugu State in digital skills by 2027.
Today, I had the honour of visiting Enugu, where I received a warm welcome from H.E. Dr. @PNMbah the Executive Governor, and the good people of Enugu state.
Upon arrival, I was immediately impressed by the city’s infrastructure—a clear testament to Governor Mbah’s intentional… pic.twitter.com/GlLMrHlh81
— Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani (@bosuntijani) March 27, 2025
Tijani disclosed this during a courtesy visit to Governor Peter Mbah in Enugu on Thursday, alongside officials from the ministry.
He stated that the training would be conducted under the National Information Technology Development Agency’s (NITDA) Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL) Initiative, as part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to promote digital literacy and ensure citizens can effectively utilise digital tools.
“We are committed to training 1,155,000 residents of Enugu State before 2027 in essential digital skills. Our focus will be on artisans, market women, civil servants, students, and other underserved groups,” he said.
Tijani praised Mbah’s investments in the digital economy, describing Enugu State as a model for how sub-national governments can take bold steps toward building inclusive and tech-driven societies.
“Mbah’s broader achievements in infrastructure, education, and economic reform are commendable.
“These initiatives clearly demonstrate the governor’s commitment to equipping young people with the tools and spaces they need to thrive in the digital economy.
“They reflect his bold vision to transform Enugu State into a $30 billion economy in eight years.
“This work, among many others, aligns closely with the Renewed Hope Agenda of our President, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, as well as the Strategic Blueprint of our ministry,” he added.
The minister emphasised that the Federal Government is heavily investing in digital infrastructure, recognising that the full potential of the digital economy cannot be realised without robust technological frameworks.
“So we are also building frameworks to harness emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) to drive productivity, innovation, and inclusive growth.
“We are upscaling digital skills and literacy, so more Nigerians, especially our youth, can compete and thrive in the global digital workforce,” he said.
Tijani revealed that over 14,000 applications had been received from Enugu residents under the ministry’s 3MTT Programme, with 1,762 individuals already trained.
He added that the programme would soon be scaled up to train over 150,000 people in the state.
He also announced a partnership with the Enugu State Government under the 774 Connectivity Project to provide internet access to all 17 Local Government secretariats through Galaxy Backbone and NIGCOMSAT.
“Galaxy Backbone will partner with the state to establish a Digital Innovation Complex in Enugu.
“There will also be an additional 15km of fibre optic cable laid to selected institutions, along with the provision of a Computer Laboratory in one secondary school and one tertiary institution in the state,” he stated.
Tijani further reiterated the ministry’s commitment to establishing an AI Regional Centre for the South-East at the African Regional Centre, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
“Considering the importance of cybersecurity to our digital economy, we will train 100 people in Enugu State in high-demand cybersecurity and infrastructure defense skills as part of NITDA’s Cybersecurity Training Programme.
“We will also establish a joint committee comprising representatives from the ministry and the Enugu State Government to drive the implementation of these projects,” he said.
Mbah Reaffirms Commitment to Digital Economy Growth
In response, Governor Peter Mbah reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to leveraging the digital economy to diversify revenue streams and grow Enugu into a $30 billion economy.
Pleased to receive the Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, today. He was in Enugu to strengthen collaboration between the Federal Government and our administration on several digital initiatives aimed at accelerating our… pic.twitter.com/CjSQRxPp5V
— Peter Ndubuisi Mbah (@PNMbah) March 27, 2025
He highlighted the state’s embrace of technology, particularly through its Command and Control Centre, which provides round-the-clock surveillance to secure streets and neighborhoods.
“We are in the process of integrating the Command and Control Centre with the National Communications Commission’s Emergency Communication Centre (ECC) to operationalise the Rapid Response Squad (RRS).
“This will enable real-time emergency coordination via the national 112 emergency number, strengthening public safety and inter-agency communication,” Mbah said.
He added that Enugu State is in the final stages of signing a 25-year facility lease with the NCC for the Digital Bridge Institute and Digital Industrial Park.
NAN
