By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

The European Union and its development partners have announced new efforts to accelerate Nigeria’s digital transformation as stakeholders convened in Kano for the fifth Project Steering Committee meeting of the Digital Transformation Centre (DTC) Nigeria and the inauguration of the Women Venture Studio Innovation Hub.

The DTC initiative—funded by the European Union, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and the Kingdom of Denmark, and implemented by GIZ Nigeria—brought together representatives from government agencies, academia, and the innovation ecosystem on Monday, 17 November 2025.

The meeting marks a significant step in expanding digital development programmes to more regions across the country.

Inga Stefanowicz, EU Head of Section for Green and Digital Economy, said the goal is to ensure national-level engagement in shaping Nigeria’s digital future.

“We do not want this Steering Committee to remain only in Abuja,” she said. “That is why we have taken it across the country—from Lagos to Ibadan, and now Kano. It is important to recognise the digital transformation happening here in the North alongside progress in other regions.”

Stefanowicz noted that the DTC is part of a wider EU digital cooperation package valued at €820 million. She added that by 2025, an additional €45 million would support ICT training under the 3MTT initiative, expand nationwide fibre-optic connectivity, and strengthen Nigeria’s digital public infrastructure.

“It has been three years of implementation,” she said. “This was only the first step; there is still much progress ahead.”

Since its launch, the Digital Transformation Centre has trained more than 5,300 Nigerians—including 2,060 women and 795 persons with disabilities—through digital skills programmes, startup incubation, entrepreneurship support, and digital voucher pilots aimed at helping individuals and small businesses access essential technology.

The programme has also supported 40 startups and MSMEs with innovation tools, while policy work in four states is helping address the digital gender gap.

Speaking on behalf of the Director-General of NITDA, Acting Director of Digital Literacy and Capacity Building, Dr. Ahmed Yusuf Tambuwal, described the deliberations as strategic and solution-oriented.

“We are here to review progress and chart the way forward,” he said. “We have identified gaps and aligned priorities. Inclusion remains our commitment. We want a digital economy that works for everyone, especially women and persons with disabilities.”

From the academic sector, Dr. Victor Odumiuwa of the NITDA IT Hub highlighted the initiative’s growing impact on universities.

“Many startups have been supported, and many trainings conducted,” he said. “This is helping us scale innovation across Nigerian universities.”

Stakeholders agreed on priorities for the next phase, including training an additional 5,800 young people, expanding green and digital skills programmes, improving ICT employability, and strengthening interventions such as mentorship, job market integration, and digital voucher systems.

As EU–Nigeria collaboration deepens, the Digital Transformation Centre continues to demonstrate the value of coordinated international partnerships in driving national development. With a strong emphasis on inclusion, the shared goal is a digital economy where women, youth, and persons with disabilities are fully empowered to contribute to Nigeria’s innovation and competitiveness.