The European Union (EU) has concluded a three-year digital skills programme in North-East Nigeria, aimed at reducing the digital divide and expanding economic opportunities for women, hard-to-reach youth and persons with disabilities in conflict-affected areas.
The €750,000 initiative, implemented by ZOA International between 2023 and 2026, targeted 30 communities across Borno and Yobe states, using inclusive digital transformation as a pathway to resilience, livelihoods and long-term recovery.
The programme’s close-out ceremony, held in Maiduguri on February 4, 2026, brought together EU officials, state authorities, civil society organisations and development partners to review achievements and discuss sustainability strategies.
Over the three-year period, more than 18,000 individuals received digital skills training, while 32 community IT hubs were established to improve access to technology. In addition, six schools were equipped with IT services to support digital learning, and a Digital Literacy Working Group was created to strengthen coordination and continuity beyond the project’s lifespan.
Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Massimo De Luca, said the programme demonstrates how targeted digital investments can promote inclusive growth when aligned with local realities.
“This project shows that digital inclusion is not abstract policy—it delivers real impact,” De Luca said, noting that empowering communities and strengthening grassroots institutions are essential to building resilience and meaningful economic participation, particularly in conflict-affected regions.
He added that the initiative aligns with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, which prioritises people-centred digital transformation capable of translating skills and infrastructure into jobs, enterprises and long-term community stability.
Providing an implementation overview, ZOA Programme Manager, Godwin Dominic, described the intervention as critical in regions where access to technology remains limited.
“Beyond training over 18,000 people, we focused on building systems that last,” Dominic said, explaining that the IT hubs, school-based digital access points and the Digital Literacy Working Group were designed to sustain skills development after the programme’s conclusion.
The Borno State Government also welcomed the initiative. Representing the state, the Executive Secretary of the Borno Information and Communication Technology Development Agency (BICTDA), Mohammed Kabir Wanori, said the programme strengthened opportunities for women and youth while complementing existing ICT policies and development priorities.
As the project formally ends, partners committed to maintaining the digital infrastructure, community networks and institutional capacity developed over the past three years. The EU said its focus going forward is ensuring that acquired digital skills translate into income generation, entrepreneurship and improved economic participation.
In a region still recovering from years of conflict and displacement, the programme’s outcomes highlight the growing role of digital inclusion as both a development and stabilisation tool, connecting marginalised communities to opportunities, markets and the wider digital economy.
Michael Olugbode
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