By Abasi Ita
The South South Development Commission has intensified efforts to position young people in the region to benefit from opportunities in Nigeria’s expanding digital economy through a strategic partnership with the National Information Technology Development Agency.
In furtherance of this objective, the Managing Director of the Commission, Ms Usoro Akpabio, paid a courtesy visit to the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, on Tuesday, February 10, 2027, at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
The meeting focused on building collaboration aimed at expanding digital skills, promoting innovation, and ensuring inclusive access to information and communication technology opportunities for youths across the six South South states.
Speaking during the visit, Ms Akpabio highlighted the vast and tech ready youth population in the region, describing it as a critical asset for Nigeria’s economic growth. She noted that structured collaboration with NITDA would help bridge digital skills gaps, create employment pathways, and unlock innovation driven development across the South South.
She described NITDA as a key national institution whose leadership in digital capacity building, ICT infrastructure development, and innovation support aligns with the Commission’s mandate to drive sustainable regional development.
According to her, empowering youths with relevant digital competencies is essential to economic diversification and long term growth, especially in a region seeking to expand beyond traditional economic sectors.
Responding, the NITDA Director General reaffirmed the agency’s readiness to collaborate with the Commission in deploying technology driven programmes that support youth empowerment, innovation, and economic diversification in the South South.
He emphasized that NITDA remains committed to working with regional bodies to strengthen digital literacy, foster entrepreneurship, and promote inclusive participation in the digital economy.
Observers note that the engagement signals a growing alignment between federal digital economy initiatives and regional development strategies. With sustained cooperation, the South South region is poised to emerge as a hub for digital talent, innovation, and technology driven enterprise.