By Christopher Ameh, Bauchi

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has launched two digital communication platforms, dComms and DANCIT, to strengthen online privacy, promote digital freedom and reduce Nigerians’ dependence on global technology companies.

CITAD Executive Director, Buhari Abba, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday, October 29, 2026, saying the initiatives were designed to give users greater control over their digital experiences and strengthen community engagement.

Abba expressed concern over data exploitation, surveillance, misinformation and online harassment associated with mainstream social media and messaging platforms.

He said dComms, a decentralised communication initiative linked to the Fediverse, would offer users an alternative to platforms controlled by individual companies.

According to him, decentralisation distributes control across independently operated services, potentially giving communities greater influence over how they communicate and manage their online spaces.

CITAD also unveiled DANCIT, an abbreviation of Dandalin CITAD, a community-focused messaging application hosted on the organisation’s digital infrastructure.

Abba said the application was inspired by the traditional Hausa dandali, a communal gathering place where people meet to exchange ideas and discuss issues affecting their communities.

He said DANCIT was designed to facilitate communication, civic engagement and grassroots mobilisation among young people, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.

The executive director maintained that Nigerians should have access to digital alternatives that allow them to communicate without surrendering excessive control over their personal information.

He, however, acknowledged that decentralised platforms were not immune to cyberattacks, misinformation and privacy risks, stressing that effective security measures and responsible governance would remain necessary.

Abba said digital sovereignty was essential to building local technological capacity and giving Nigerians greater influence over the development and management of digital services.

He explained that digital sovereignty did not mean isolating Nigeria from the global internet but ensuring that citizens had meaningful choices and could participate in shaping the technologies they use.

He called on civil society organisations, educational institutions, journalists, youth groups, technology professionals and policymakers to support privacy-focused platforms and promote digital literacy.

Abba added that CITAD, with support from the Association for Progressive Communications, would continue advocating a digital environment in which technology empowered communities, protected personal information and respected citizens’ rights.