The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has transferred the operation of its Digital Industrial Park and Learning Centre in Enugu to the Enugu State Government under a 15-year operational lease, in a move expected to expand digital skills, stimulate technology-driven businesses and create new employment opportunities in the state.
The development is part of the Commission’s broader push to deepen Nigeria’s digital economy by combining digital infrastructure with human capital development, entrepreneurship and innovation.
Speaking at the handover ceremony in Enugu, Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman and chief executive officer of the NCC, said the facilities were designed to serve as a platform for young people, startups and businesses to develop skills, commercialise ideas and access opportunities in the digital economy.
Maida said the Commission decided to hand over the facilities to the state government because of its investments in education, infrastructure, innovation and digital capacity, which he said provided the right environment for the facilities to become productive assets.
“These facilities were conceived as platforms for innovation, entrepreneurship and human capital development. They were designed to deepen digital skills, support startups, attract investment, create jobs and position Nigeria as a competitive destination for business process outsourcing, knowledge process outsourcing and other technology-enabled services,” he said.
The EVC said the impact of the facilities should ultimately be measured by the number of people trained, businesses created, ideas developed and jobs generated, rather than by the infrastructure itself.
“Buildings alone do not create innovation. People do. Ideas do. Entrepreneurs do. And partnerships bring all these elements together,” Maida said.
He said the partnership with Enugu State was expected to support the state’s ambition to emerge as a major destination for digital services, artificial intelligence, startup incubation, outsourcing, research and other technology-enabled enterprises.
The facilities are expected to provide young people with access to digital learning and skills development while giving entrepreneurs and local businesses a platform to develop and scale technology-driven ventures.
Maida said the initiative also aligns with the Federal Government’s digital economy priorities, particularly the expansion of digital infrastructure, digital literacy, innovation and indigenous content development.
He added that the project supports President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the government’s ambition to build a $1 trillion economy through increased productivity, innovation and private sector-led growth.
Maida also stressed that infrastructure alone would not deliver the desired economic transformation without adequate investment in people.
According to him, the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence, automation and other emerging technologies is changing the nature of work and business, making digital skills increasingly important to Nigeria’s economic competitiveness.
He pointed to Enugu State’s investments in technology-enabled schools, digital learning facilities, robotics and artificial intelligence laboratories as evidence of the growing need to align education with the demands of the digital economy.
Maida also commended Governor Peter Mbah for what he described as purposeful leadership and investments in infrastructure, education and skills development. He cited the state government’s plan to recruit about 6,500 teachers under its Smart Green Schools initiative as part of the administration’s focus on human capital development.
“No investment delivers more enduring returns than investment in people,” he said.
He further called for greater collaboration among federal and state governments, the private sector, academia and development partners, saying Nigeria’s digital transformation would require the combined efforts of all stakeholders.
“No single institution can build Nigeria’s digital future alone. The Federal Government, state governments, the private sector, academia and development partners all have complementary roles to play,” Maida said.
With the transfer, the NCC expects the Digital Industrial Park and Learning Centre to become a hub for skills acquisition, innovation and enterprise development, enabling young Nigerians in Enugu to participate more actively in the digital economy while creating pathways for local businesses to connect with markets and opportunities beyond the state and the country.
