EU unveils fresh €45m investment to fast-track Nigeria’s digital future

…targets nationwide inclusion, expanded ICT skills

Nigeria’s digital transformation quest has received a major boost as the European Union announced a fresh €45 million investment to accelerate ICT skills development, fibre-optic expansion and digital public infrastructure, marking one of the bloc’s strongest commitments yet to Nigeria’s digital future.

The announcement was made in Kano during the fifth Project Steering Committee meeting of the Digital Transformation Centre (DTC) Nigeria, where the EU’s Head of Section for Green and Digital Economy, Inga Stefanowicz, declared that the bloc is determined to ensure that the benefits of digital development extend far beyond Nigeria’s major urban centres.

Communicating the development to journalists in Abuja over the weekend, Stefanowicz said; “We do not want this Steering Committee to remain only in Abuja. 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 of Nigeria,” she said.

The gathering, which also marked the launch of the Women Venture Studio Innovation Hub, brought together government agencies, academics and innovation leaders under a joint initiative funded by the EU, BMZ Germany and the Kingdom of Denmark, and implemented by GIZ Nigeria.

The renewed financial commitment forms part of an expansive €820 million EU digital cooperation package.

Stefanowicz noted that the next phase of support would intensify digital skills training and accelerate the rollout of crucial digital infrastructure, stressing that the work done so far is only the beginning. “It has been three years of project implementation. This was the first step. There is still progress ahead.”

Representing the Director General of NITDA, Acting Director of Digital Literacy and Capacity Building, Dr Ahmed Yusuf Tambuwal, praised the forum’s outcomes, saying the discussions were both constructive and timely. “We are here to review progress and to chart the way ahead. We have identified gaps and aligned priorities. Inclusion remains a commitment. We want a digital economy that works for everyone, especially women and persons with disabilities.”

From the academic community, Dr Victor Odumiuwa of the NITDA IT Hub highlighted the programme’s growing impact on universities, noting that many startups and innovators have already benefited. “Many start-ups have been supported, and many trainings have taken place. This is helping us scale innovation within Nigerian universities,” he said.

Since its inception, the Digital Transformation Centre has trained and supported more than 5,300 Nigerians, including 2,060 women and 795 persons with disabilities, offering digital skills, entrepreneurship support, startup incubation, digital vouchers and innovation assistance. It has also backed policy reforms in four states aimed at closing digital gender gaps.

Stakeholders at the meeting agreed on new targets for the next phase, including training an additional 5,800 young Nigerians, strengthening ICT employability pipelines, expanding green and digital skills, and scaling mentorship, job-market integration and voucher-based training models.

With cooperation between the EU and Nigeria deepening, the Digital Transformation Centre is being positioned as a model for how coordinated global partnerships can drive national digital development. The overarching ambition remains clear: to build a digital economy where women, youth and persons with disabilities are fully empowered to shape a more competitive, innovative and resilient Nigeria.

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