Digital Skills: NCC enables over 100 Persons with Disabilities in Lagos
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has trained over
100 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Lagos State on digital citizenship,
cybersecurity, data protection and assistive technologies, as part of its drive
to ensure that disability does not exclude Nigerians from opportunities in the
digital economy.
The participants received the training during a two-day Digital
Citizenship Training for Persons with Disabilities held on September 9 and 10,
2026, in Lagos, under the theme, “Empowering Persons with Disabilities Through
Digital Citizenship for an Inclusive Digital Economy.”
The programme exposed participants to digital foundations,
internet and digital communication, cybersecurity basics, data protection,
assistive technologies and responsible participation in the digital space.
For many of the participants, however, the training went beyond
learning how to operate digital tools. It changed how they understood their
safety, independence and place in an increasingly digital society.
Participants spoke about learning to protect their personal
data, identify giveaway and other online scams, and avoid disclosing sensitive
information to unknown persons online. Others discovered accessibility
features, including speech-to-text tools, that could make everyday use of their
mobile devices easier and more independent.
The programme also addressed the social realities faced by
Persons with Disabilities, including discrimination, helping participants
understand that some negative attitudes towards disability stem from ignorance
and should not define their confidence, abilities or participation in society.
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
(EVC/CEO), NCC, Aminu Maida, said the initiative reflects the Commission’s
commitment to creating a digital Nigeria in which Persons with Disabilities
have the skills and confidence to participate fully in the digital economy.
Maida, who was represented by the Director, Digital Economy
Department, Helen Obi, said digital inclusion must go beyond providing internet
connectivity.
“Digital citizenship goes beyond operating a smartphone or
computer; it encompasses the knowledge, skills and responsible behaviours
required to participate safely and meaningfully online, protect personal
information, recognise scams and misinformation, safeguard one’s digital
identity, and understand digital rights and responsibilities,” Maida said.
He noted that technology could be particularly transformative
for Persons with Disabilities by removing barriers to education and employment,
supporting entrepreneurship and remote work, improving access to information
and public services, and promoting greater independence through assistive
technologies.
According to him, the Commission’s objective is ultimately to
build a Nigeria where disability does not determine whether an individual can
obtain an education, access public services, secure employment, start a
business or contribute productively to society.
“You are not merely beneficiaries; you are important
participants and contributors to Nigeria’s digital economy. Your talents,
ideas, businesses and aspirations have value, and technology can help take them
further,” Maida told the participants.
The Lagos programme forms part of a broader NCC initiative to
provide digital skills training for Persons with Disabilities across the
country’s geopolitical zones.
Maida said the initiative builds on the Commission’s existing
interventions to expand digital access and inclusion, including its
E-Accessibility Project, which provides ICT tools and assistive technologies to
institutions supporting Persons with Disabilities.
He also highlighted the NCC’s support for research into
assistive technology, including an assistive walking-stick prototype for blind
and visually impaired persons, as well as the fourth NCC Hackathon, themed
“Technology Without Barriers,” which encouraged innovators to develop solutions
promoting accessibility and inclusion.
For the Commission, these interventions are guided by a simple
principle: digital technology should create opportunities, not new barriers.
Maida said connectivity alone would not deliver meaningful
inclusion unless Nigerians also possessed the knowledge and confidence to use
technology safely, responsibly and productively.
“The NCC remains committed to promoting connectivity, digital
skills, accessibility, online safety and meaningful participation, with the
goal of building a digital Nigeria where Persons with Disabilities can learn,
work, do business, communicate and access services with dignity and
confidence,” he said.
He called for stronger collaboration among government
institutions, regulators, technology companies, service providers, development
partners, civil society and Organisations of Persons with Disabilities to
ensure accessibility is incorporated from the outset in the design and
deployment of digital products and services.
The EVC also acknowledged the Lagos State Government, National
Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Lagos State Office for Disability
Affairs and other stakeholders supporting the programme.
For the more than 100 participants trained in Lagos, the
intervention translated the often, broad concept of digital inclusion into
practical everyday skills: knowing how to protect their personal information,
recognising a potential scam, communicating through assistive technology and
navigating the digital world with greater confidence and independence.
Credit NCC PR
