Segun Ojumu
Nigeria has won a prestigious award at the 2025 World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) for its Digital Awareness Programme (DAP), championed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The DAP secured the prize in Category C3, focusing on Access to Information and Knowledge.
The announcement was made in a statement signed by Nnenna Ukoha, Acting Head of Public Affairs at the NCC. The Digital Awareness Programme, which equips secondary schools across Nigeria with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) resources and internet connectivity, received the highest number of votes in its category among hundreds of submissions. Since its inception in 2006, over 300 schools across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones have benefited from the programme, which aims to support teaching, learning, and research.
Aminu Maida, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, received the award during the WSIS Prizes Winners 2025 Ceremony held on Monday in Geneva, Switzerland. In his acceptance remarks, Mr. Maida thanked the hosts, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and WSIS, for recognising Nigeria’s efforts in promoting inclusive digital access. He noted that the award would serve as further motivation for the Commission.
“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,” Mr. Maida stated.
Four other Nigerian projects also received recognition, being nominated for the Champions Category of Projects at the WSIS Prizes Ceremony. These included the Women Techsters and the Advanced Digital Empowerment Programme for Tertiary Institutions (ADEPTI) under Capacity Building, the Telecom-Based Research Grant Initiative under Enabling Environment, and the Digital Learning Initiative under e-Learning. Although they were not among the top-voted entries, their significant merit and impact were acknowledged.
The WSIS Prizes competition annually recognises and promotes projects that effectively leverage ICTs to advance sustainable development, showcasing technology’s role in addressing global challenges and achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) is a United Nations (UN) initiative dedicated to building a people-centred, inclusive, and development-oriented information society. It serves as a multi-stakeholder platform to address issues related to ICTs and their role in achieving sustainable development, bringing together high-level representatives from governments, the private sector, civil society, academia, the technical community, and international organisations.
The annual forum is a global platform for implementing the WSIS Action Lines, which are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
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