Nigeria’s push for inclusive digital development received global acclaim on Monday as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) won a major prize at the 2025 World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Awards in Geneva, Switzerland.
The commission’s Digital Awareness Programme (DAP) clinched the top honour in Category C3, Access to Information and Knowledge, after securing the highest number of votes among competing projects worldwide.
Receiving the award, NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman(EVC), Dr Aminu Maida, described the recognition as both a validation and a motivation for Nigeria’s digital inclusion efforts.
“This recognition is more than a celebration of past efforts; it is an encouragement to press forward. It affirms that investing in digital inclusion is investing in national development, and that Nigeria’s work is being seen and valued on the global stage,” he said.
Launched in 2006, the Digital Awareness Programme is designed to strengthen digital learning in secondary schools by providing information and communication technology resources alongside internet connectivity to support teaching, learning and research. More than 300 schools across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones have benefited from the initiative.
Maida also commended the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and WSIS for recognising Nigeria’s strides in expanding access to information and knowledge, noting that the award would further inspire the commission’s work.
Beyond the DAP win, Nigeria recorded additional global visibility as four other local initiatives earned nominations in the WSIS Champions Category. These include Women Techsters and the Advanced Digital Empowerment Programme for Tertiary Institutions under Capacity Building; the Telecom-Based Research Grant Initiative under Enabling Environment; and the Digital Learning Initiative under E-Learning.
The recognitions highlight Nigeria’s growing footprint in global digital development and its commitment to widening access to information and knowledge across communities.
