The Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau of the International Telecommunication Union, (ITU), Dr. Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, paid a courtesy visit to National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in Abuja, reinforcing growing cooperation on digital development.
Dr. Zavazava was accompanied by the ITU Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Emmanuel Manasseh, as part of the ITU delegation. The visit provided a platform for strategic engagement and exchange of ideas on key digital development challenges facing Nigeria, Africa, and other developing regions, with a shared focus on inclusive and sustainable ICT growth. The delegation was received on behalf of the Director General of NITDA by the Director of Corporate Planning and Strategy, Dr. Warowei Dimie, alongside other directors of the Agency.
Dr. Dimie, speaking on behalf of the NITDA Director General, reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to deepening collaboration with ITU, describing the organization’s global experience as a valuable asset for transferring tested solutions and best practices to Nigeria’s local context. Digital skills and capacity building featured prominently in the discussions, as Nigeria pursues its ambitious target of achieving 70 percent digital literacy nationwide by next year, with encouraging progress recorded through partnerships with the private sector and other stakeholders, he noted.
The adoption of Nigeria’s National Digital Literacy Framework was highlighted as a major milestone, providing a structured and inclusive approach to skills development across different segments of society. Attention was drawn to the persistent challenge of limited connectivity in rural and underserved communities, with participants emphasizing targeted interventions such as grassroots digital training and the deployment of National Youth Service Corps members as digital literacy ambassadors.
Dr. Zavazava, in his remarks, outlined ITU-BDT’s mandate to bridge the digital divide, promote inclusive ICT development, strengthen regulatory frameworks, and support member states in building resilient digital infrastructure. These priorities strongly align with Nigeria’s digital transformation aspirations, adding that ITU works across its 194 member states through regional and area offices, including its West Africa office in Dakar, Senegal, and the Africa regional office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, he explained.
The importance of the courtesy visit underscored sustained collaboration between international development institutions and national agencies, reaffirming the shared commitment of ITU and NITDA to leveraging ICTs for sustainable development, innovation, and inclusive socio-economic growth in Nigeria.
Dr. Zavazava further highlighted ongoing collaboration with Nigeria on initiatives such as digital skills development, broadband infrastructure mapping, and cybersecurity. He disclosed that Nigeria is among 11 sub-Saharan African countries benefiting from a €15 million ITU-European Commission project on broadband infrastructure mapping and modelling, while also participating in global cybersecurity drills organised by ITU in partnership with the United Arab Emirates, which attracted over 136 countries in the last edition.
