Nigeria showcased its extensive digital social investments through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) at the 35th annual conference of the African Public Relations Association (APRA), held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from May 13th to 17th, 2024.
Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan, Head of Media Management Relations at the NCC, highlighted these initiatives in a presentation titled “Digital Inclusion as Arbiter of Accessible PR: A Case of the Nigerian Communications Commission.” Ibietan, who was elected Secretary-General of APRA during the conference, detailed the NCC’s efforts to promote digital inclusion and infrastructure expansion across Nigeria.
Ibietan outlined 36 key initiatives that the NCC has implemented to foster infrastructure growth, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), empower educational institutions, advance innovation, and enhance digital skills among Nigerian youths. These initiatives include:
– Advanced Digital Awareness Programme for Tertiary Institutions (ADAPTI)
– Campus Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programme (CIEP)
– e-PAD project for 232 institutions
– Digital Appreciation Project (DAP) for 247 secondary schools
– Digital Literacy Training for Teachers (DLT)
– Digital Integration Programme (DIP) for MSMEs
– E-Accessibility Programme for persons with disabilities
– Nigerian Girls Can Code Competition
– Build A-Thon for young innovators
– Tertiary Institutions Digital Centre (TIDC) for 250 institutions
– 2,291 Digital Nigeria Centers (DNC)
– Local Application and Content Deployment Programme
– 72 Rural Broadband Initiative projects
Ibietan emphasized that these initiatives have significantly enhanced digital literacy, narrowed the digital divide, and boosted participation in political, economic, and social processes, thereby enabling accessible digital public relations in Nigeria. The NCC’s Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) has been instrumental in these achievements through various digital infrastructure projects and collaborative efforts with stakeholders.
Among the 20 papers presented at the APRA Conference, Ibietan’s was the sole presentation highlighting a country’s digital infrastructure investments. This was particularly notable as many papers stressed the importance of adequate broadband infrastructure for fostering a digital culture in Africa.
Ibietan underlined the critical role of digital inclusion, which he defined as the ability of individuals and groups to access and fully participate in the digital society using technologies such as the internet, computers, and mobile devices. He argued that digital inclusion not only encompasses access to digital technologies but also the necessary skills, knowledge, and resources to utilize them effectively.
“Digital inclusion promotes social and economic opportunities, enhances civic engagement, supports education and lifelong learning, fosters digital literacy, encourages innovation and entrepreneurship, and helps bridge the digital divide,” he stated. He also highlighted the importance of digital infrastructure during the COVID-19 pandemic, which allowed Nigeria to transition social and economic activities to digital platforms, mitigating the pandemic’s impact.
Ibietan concluded with a call for continuous and seamless communication among stakeholders to ensure the efficient management and maximization of the benefits from social investment and infrastructure projects.