The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has handed over the Digital Industrial Park and the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) in Enugu to the state government under a 15-year operational lease agreement aimed at accelerating digital innovation, skills development and technology-driven economic growth.
The transfer was formalized on Tuesday during the signing of the agreement at the Government House in Enugu.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said the facilities were part of six Digital Industrial Parks established across the country to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and human capital development.
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He said the digital hubs were designed to strengthen digital skills, support startups, attract investment, create jobs and position Nigeria as a preferred destination for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) and other technology-enabled services.
According to Maida, the facilities were conceived not merely as physical infrastructure but as platforms for nurturing talent and enterprises that would drive the country’s digital economy.
He noted that the success of the project would depend on how effectively the facilities were utilized rather than the quality of the infrastructure.
“The success of these facilities will not be measured by the quality of the buildings or equipment, but by the skills acquired, ideas developed, businesses created and jobs generated,” he said.
Maida expressed confidence in the Enugu State Government’s capacity to maximize the assets, citing its investments in education, innovation, digital infrastructure and human capital development.
He said the partnership would support Enugu’s ambition of becoming a leading hub for digital services, artificial intelligence (AI), startup incubation, outsourcing, research and other technology-driven enterprises.
The NCC boss added that the collaboration aligned with the Federal Government’s digital economy agenda and President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to build a $1 trillion economy driven by innovation, productivity and private sector investment.
He stressed that achieving Nigeria’s digital transformation goals would require sustained collaboration among the federal and state governments, the private sector, academia and development partners.
Responding, Governor Peter Mbah described the handover as a major milestone in Enugu’s drive to become Nigeria’s leading digital economy hub.
He announced plans to transform the Digital Industrial Park into Enugu Talent City, a knowledge-driven outsourcing hub that would provide Business Process Outsourcing and Knowledge Process Outsourcing services to global clients.
According to the governor, the initiative will enable young professionals in the state to work for international companies without relocating abroad.
Mbah also disclosed that the Digital Bridge Institute would be upgraded into a world-class Artificial Intelligence Institute and an AI certification center serving the African continent.
“We see these assets as facilities that will deepen innovation in our state, unlock opportunities, create employment and position Enugu as a leading digital economy in this country,” he said.
The governor noted that artificial intelligence was projected to contribute about $20 trillion to the global economy by 2030, stressing the need to equip Nigerian youths with globally competitive digital skills.
Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Governor on SMEs and Digital Economy, Mr Arinze Chilo-Offia, described the handover as another milestone in the growing partnership between the NCC and the Enugu State Government.
He said the collaboration would strengthen the state’s ambition of becoming Nigeria’s foremost destination for digital innovation, technology investment and high-value employment.
Also speaking, NCC Non-Executive Commissioner, Mr Ikechukwu Ugwuegede, expressed confidence that the Enugu State Government would maximize the facilities to advance Nigeria’s digital economy.
He noted that both facilities, strategically located along the Enugu-Ugwogo Expressway and the GRA Expressway, were university-sized and would serve as major centers for innovation, digital skills development, and economic growth in the state.
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