The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has granted the Enugu State Government a 15-year lease to operate its Digital Industrial Park and Learning Centre, with the facilities expected to support artificial intelligence, startups, digital skills and technology-driven businesses.

The arrangement is designed to transform the facilities into hubs for innovation, entrepreneurship and human-capital development while advancing Enugu State’s efforts to attract investment and strengthen capacity in emerging areas of the digital economy.

The Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, announced the partnership during the handover ceremony in Enugu.

Maida said the Commission was pleased to transfer the facilities to a state government it believed had shown the commitment required to put them to productive use.

“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,” Maida said.

Under the agreement, Enugu State will be responsible for activating the facilities and developing their economic potential. The NCC expects the centres to support skills acquisition, startup incubation, research and technology-enabled enterprise.

The regulator said the success of the facilities would ultimately depend not simply on the buildings and equipment, but on their capacity to create tangible economic opportunities.

“Buildings alone do not create innovation. People do. Ideas do. Entrepreneurs do. And partnerships bring all these elements together,” he said.

According to Maida, the partnership’s effectiveness would be assessed by its practical contribution to skills development, idea creation, business formation and employment opportunities.

Maida explained that the decision to transfer the facilities to Enugu was influenced by the state government’s investments in education, infrastructure, innovation and digital capacity.

The NCC expects the partnership to advance Enugu’s ambition to become a major destination for digital services, artificial intelligence, startup incubation, outsourcing, research and other technology-enabled activities.

“We expect 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,” Maida said.

The focus on artificial intelligence and outsourcing comes as digital technologies continue to reshape business service delivery and the way workers acquire and apply new skills.

For Enugu, the facilities will provide a physical base where young people and entrepreneurs can develop digital capabilities and build businesses capable of serving markets beyond the state.

Maida also situated the initiative within the Federal Government’s wider digital economy agenda, particularly its priorities covering digital infrastructure, digital literacy, innovation and indigenous content development.

He said the partnership aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the national goal of building a $1 trillion economy driven by productivity, innovation and private-sector growth.

The NCC chief commended Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, for what he described as purposeful leadership and a deliberate development agenda, particularly in infrastructure, education and skills.

He specifically cited the state’s renewed effort to recruit about 6,500 teachers under its Smart Green Schools initiative.

Maida argued that human capital would ultimately determine whether infrastructure investments could produce sustainable economic gains.

“No investment delivers more enduring returns than investment in people,” he said.

He said physical infrastructure such as roads, buildings, broadband networks and technology platforms could only become productive when people have the knowledge and skills required to use them effectively.

According to him, the issue has become increasingly significant as artificial intelligence, automation and other digital technologies reshape industries, employment and public-service delivery.

Maida said technology-enabled schools, digital learning facilities, robotics and artificial intelligence laboratories demonstrate the need for education systems to evolve alongside technological developments.

Beyond skills development, the NCC said the Digital Industrial Park and Learning Centre are expected to give entrepreneurs opportunities to turn ideas into viable businesses while helping local enterprises connect with opportunities beyond Enugu and Nigeria.

The wider objective is to establish an ecosystem where infrastructure, skills, entrepreneurship and investment reinforce one another instead of functioning independently.

Maida said achieving this would require sustained cooperation between government, businesses, academic institutions and development partners.

“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,” he said.

The partnership places the Enugu facilities within a broader effort to use digital infrastructure and human capital to support economic diversification, job creation and private-sector growth.

For the NCC, the 15-year arrangement is intended to transition the facilities from physical assets into productive platforms supporting digital skills, innovation and enterprise development.

The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to initiatives aimed at expanding digital opportunities, strengthening human capital and ensuring that communities are not excluded from Nigeria’s growing digital economy.

Source: Punch