Digital transformation in Enugu received a major boost as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) signed a 15-year lease agreement transferring its Digital Industrial Park and Learning Centre to the Enugu State Government to drive artificial intelligence, innovation and talent development.
ENUGU, Nigeria — The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Enugu State Government have signed a 15-year lease agreement for the commission’s Digital Industrial Park and Learning Centre, marking a significant milestone in efforts to accelerate Nigeria’s digital economy and strengthen Enugu’s position as a technology and innovation hub.
The agreement, signed on Tuesday at the Government House in Enugu, will enable the state government to transform the facilities into the Enugu Talent City and an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute, aligning with Governor Peter Mbah’s digital transformation agenda.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, said the partnership aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Federal Government’s vision of building a $1 trillion economy powered by innovation, productivity and private sector-led growth.
Maida said Governor Mbah had demonstrated a clear commitment to transforming Enugu into a digital economy powerhouse through strategic investments in education, infrastructure, innovation and digital capacity development.
According to him, the facilities are expected to position Enugu as a leading destination for digital services, artificial intelligence, startup incubation, outsourcing, research and technology-driven enterprises.
“Our expectation is that this partnership will support Enugu’s ambition to become a leading destination for digital services, artificial intelligence, startup incubation, outsourcing, research and technology-enabled enterprise.
“We also expect these facilities to become spaces where young people acquire relevant skills, entrepreneurs transform ideas into viable businesses and local enterprises connect to opportunities beyond Enugu and Nigeria,” Maida said.
He explained that the Digital Industrial Park and Learning Centre were conceived as platforms to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and human capital development by strengthening digital skills, supporting startups, attracting investment and creating employment opportunities.
Maida stressed that physical infrastructure alone cannot deliver innovation without people, ideas, entrepreneurs and strategic partnerships working together.
The NCC boss also praised Governor Mbah’s Smart Green Schools initiative, describing it as a forward-looking investment that prepares children for the future through technology-enabled education, robotics and artificial intelligence laboratories.
“Technology-enabled schools, digital learning facilities, robotics and artificial intelligence laboratories demonstrate an understanding that education must evolve alongside technology. That is leadership with the future in mind,” he said.
Responding, Governor Peter Mbah commended President Tinubu for recognising the critical role of the digital economy in achieving Nigeria’s $1 trillion economic target and for acknowledging the importance of states in driving that vision.
He noted that artificial intelligence is projected to contribute about $20 trillion to the global economy by 2030, stressing that Enugu is determined to position its young people to benefit from emerging opportunities.
“We believe our brightest talents should not be exported in person. Rather, they should export their skills and services from Enugu to the rest of the world,” the governor said.
Mbah disclosed that the state government plans to transform the Digital Bridge Institute into a world-class Artificial Intelligence Institute while upgrading the Digital Industrial Park into a continental AI certification centre in collaboration with international partners from Qatar.
He expressed confidence that the NCC’s decision to lease the facilities to the state would yield significant results in the coming years through job creation, innovation and technology-driven economic growth.
Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Digital Economy and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Arinze Chilo-Ofia, thanked the Federal Government and the NCC for entrusting Enugu State with the responsibility of activating and optimising the strategic digital assets to achieve their intended objectives.
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