By Muazu Hassan
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has praised the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, for spearheading initiatives aimed at equipping young Nigerians, particularly girls, with digital knowledge and skills.
The commendation was made on Thursday during an educational excursion by 185 contestants of the 2026 National Girls in ICT (NG-ICT) Competition to the National Communications Museum in Abuja.
Speaking during the visit, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Aminu Maida, described the programme as a significant step towards promoting digital inclusion and advancing digital literacy among young Nigerians. He noted that the initiative aligns with the Commission’s commitment to encouraging greater participation in Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
Represented by the Director of Research and Development, Babagana Digima, Maida explained that the students were selected from across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to participate in the competition, which is designed to inspire more girls to pursue careers in ICT and other Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines.
The visit formed part of activities under the National Girls in ICT Programme, a ministerial initiative aimed at bridging the gender gap in the technology sector through digital skills development, mentorship and exposure to innovation.
According to Maida, the museum tour was designed to connect young Nigerians with the history of telecommunications development in the country, enabling them to appreciate the transformation from analogue systems to the digital age.
“The whole idea behind this is that we are looking at the younger generation. We want to show them what communication is all about. This place is a museum meant to preserve the history of what has gone before and to keep the artefacts, ensuring that people see the evolution from the postal system to telegraphy, from analogue systems to the digital era,” he said.
He added that exposing young people to the history of technological advancement would inspire them to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s growing digital economy.
During the tour, NCC officials guided the students through exhibits and historical artefacts documenting major milestones in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector. Participants were taken through the evolution of communication systems, beginning with the establishment of the country’s earliest communication facilities in 1886 under colonial administration.
The students also learned about the development of telegraph services that linked Lagos to other parts of West Africa and Europe through submarine cable connections.
The tour further highlighted the state of telecommunications at independence in 1960, when Nigeria had only 18,724 telephone lines serving an estimated population of 40 million people. Participants were also briefed on subsequent development plans, the operations of the former Department of Posts and Telecommunications (P&T), Nigerian External Telecommunications (NET) Limited, and the establishment of Nigerian Telecommunications Limited in 1985.
One of the major attractions of the visit was the display of rare historical artefacts preserved at the museum. These included a Post Office Counter dating back to 1852, Sorting Racks introduced to Lagos in the same year, the historic Grand “T” Key used at the Lagos Post Office in the nineteenth century, leather mail bags from 1863, vintage telegram machines, teleprinters and other telecommunications equipment that illustrate the evolution of communication technology in Nigeria.
The excursion provided the students with a unique opportunity to explore Nigeria’s telecommunications heritage while encouraging them to envision their role in shaping the future of digital innovation in the country.
