The Enugu State Government has signed a 15-year lease agreement with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to take over the Commission’s Digital Industrial Park and Learning Centre.
Newsonspot reports that this will pave the way for the development of a world-class Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute and the proposed Enugu Talent City.
The agreement, signed on Tuesday at the Government House in Enugu, marks a major milestone in the state’s digital transformation agenda and reinforces its ambition to become Nigeria’s leading technology and innovation hub.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, described the partnership as a significant step towards achieving President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the vision of building a $1 trillion Nigerian economy driven by innovation, technology and private sector investment.
Maida said the Commission was convinced that Enugu was well-positioned to maximise the facilities because of Governor Peter Mbah’s deliberate investments in education, digital infrastructure and human capital development.
He explained that the Digital Industrial Park and Learning Centre were designed not merely as physical structures but as platforms to promote innovation, entrepreneurship, digital skills, startup growth, investment attraction and job creation.
According to him, the partnership is expected to position Enugu as a leading destination for artificial intelligence, startup incubation, business process outsourcing, research, digital services and technology-enabled enterprises.
The NCC boss also praised Governor Mbah’s Smart Green Schools initiative, describing it as a visionary investment that equips young people with the digital and technological skills needed for the future.
He noted that as artificial intelligence, automation and digital technologies continue to reshape industries and economies worldwide, investments in education and digital capacity have become essential for sustainable economic growth.
Responding, Governor Peter Mbah commended President Bola Tinubu for placing the digital economy at the centre of Nigeria’s economic transformation agenda, noting that states would play a crucial role in achieving the country’s $1 trillion economic target.
The governor revealed that Enugu plans to transform the Digital Bridge Institute into a globally recognised Artificial Intelligence Institute while converting the Digital Industrial Park into Africa’s leading AI certification centre.
Mbah disclosed that the state is already collaborating with partners from Qatar to achieve the ambitious project, adding that the initiative would create jobs, retain local talent and enable young professionals to provide technology services to global markets without leaving Nigeria.
He expressed confidence that the partnership with the NCC would unlock enormous opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth, while justifying the Commission’s confidence in the state.
Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Digital Economy and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Arinze Chilo-Ofia, appreciated the Federal Government and the NCC for entrusting the facilities to Enugu State, assuring that the administration would fully utilise the assets to achieve their intended objectives.
