The Nigerian Communications Commission has granted the Enugu State Government a 15-year lease to operate its Digital Industrial Park and Learning Centre, as part of efforts to promote artificial intelligence, startups, digital skills and technology-driven businesses.

The arrangement is expected to transform the facilities into hubs for innovation, entrepreneurship and human-capital development, while supporting the state’s efforts to attract investment and strengthen its capacity in emerging areas of the digital economy.

The Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, announced the partnership at the handover ceremony in Enugu, saying the Commission was pleased to entrust the facilities to a state government that had demonstrated its commitment to putting them to productive use.

“These facilities were conceived as platforms for innovation, entrepreneurship and human capital development.

“They were designed to deepen digital skills, support startups, attract investment, create jobs and position Nigeria as a competitive destination for business process outsourcing, knowledge process outsourcing and other technology-enabled services,” Maida said.

The agreement places Enugu State in charge of activating the facilities and maximising their economic potential, with the NCC expecting them to support skills development, startup incubation, research and technology-driven businesses.

The regulator said the true value of the facilities would be measured not by the buildings or equipment themselves, but by their capacity to create tangible economic opportunities.

“Buildings alone do not create innovation. People do. Ideas do. Entrepreneurs do. And partnerships bring all these elements together,” he said.

Maida said the success of the partnership would ultimately be judged by its impact on skills development, innovation, enterprise creation and employment generation.

He explained that the NCC selected Enugu for the transfer based on the state government’s investments in education, infrastructure, innovation and digital capacity.

According to him, the Commission expects the partnership to advance Enugu’s goal of becoming a major hub for digital services, artificial intelligence, startup incubation, outsourcing, research and other technology-enabled businesses.