By Martin Ekpeke
Dr. Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, is celebrating his second anniversary in office, reflecting on the progress and milestones achieved since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu swore him into office.
In a social media post, the minister detailed key accomplishments across his ministry’s strategic pillars, which are part of a broader blueprint aimed at transforming Nigeria’s digital landscape.
According to the post, a cornerstone of his administration has been the development of a skilled digital workforce. The 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme has already trained over 125,000 Nigerians.
Additionally, more than 225,000 citizens have been reached through various digital literacy initiatives. The “Build-a-thon” programme, which engages secondary school students, and the “Girls in ICT” initiative have been instrumental in promoting digital skills and encouraging female participation in the tech sector.
Significant strides have been made in expanding Nigeria’s digital infrastructure. Key projects include:
- Project BRIDGE: A massive initiative to deploy 90,000 km of fiber optic cable, aiming to connect every state, local government, and ward in the country.
- Project 774: This project uses NigComSat satellites to connect local government secretariats nationwide.
- Fibre to Hostels: An initiative to provide high-speed internet to students in university and college hostels.
- Rural Connectivity: A pilot project in the Kura community is the first step toward deploying 7,000 telecom towers to bring 20 million unserved and underserved Nigerians online.
These efforts are designed to ensure long-term sustainability and profitability for the telecoms sector while ensuring all Nigerians have access to affordable connectivity.
Interms of government innovation, the ministry has also focused on modernizing government operations. The “DevsInGovernment” program has trained over 2,000 civil servants in data and AI. The ministry is also building Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to streamline public services like passports and business registration. Other key initiatives include the new National Web Design Standard to unify government websites and the repositioning of NIPOST with new services like PostMoni and digital postcodes.
In the area of innovation and inclusion, the ministry has supported 45 Nigerian AI startups with funding and launched 10 AI demonstration projects to tackle national challenges. Furthermore, Nigeria’s global presence has been strengthened through Dr. Tijani’s appointments as Vice Chair of the ITU Council and co-chair of several international bodies.
Looking forward, the minister outlined several strategic priorities, including strengthening data protection through the NDPC Act, implementing the National AI Strategy, scaling the Nigerian Startup Act and enabling digital trade and driving regional collaboration to build a resilient digital economy across Africa.
Dr. Tijani also thanked the dedicated staff of his ministry and the unwavering support of President Tinubu, stating that the progress so far is a testament to a shared vision for a digital economy that will power inclusive growth and shared prosperity for all Nigerians.