The European Union (EU) has concluded a three-year digital skills programme in North-East Nigeria, marking a significant push to close the digital divide and expand economic opportunities for women, hard-to-reach youth and persons with disabilities in conflict-affected communities.
The €750,000 initiative, implemented by ZOA International between 2023 and 2026, targeted 30 communities across Borno and Yobe states, focusing on inclusive digital transformation as a pathway to resilience, livelihoods and long-term recovery. Its close-out ceremony, held in Maiduguri on 4 February 2026, brought together EU officials, state authorities, civil society organisations and development partners to review achievements and chart sustainability pathways.
Designed to tackle deep-rooted digital exclusion in fragile contexts, the programme recorded tangible results. More than 18,000 individuals received digital skills training, 32 community IT hubs were established, and six schools were equipped with IT services to expand access to digital learning. In addition, a Digital Literacy Working Group was formed to strengthen coordination and ensure 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 drive inclusive growth when aligned with local realities.
“This project shows that digital inclusion is not abstract policy—it delivers real impact,” De Luca said. “By empowering communities and strengthening grassroots institutions, we are supporting inclusive economic growth that leaves no one behind. Digital inclusion, especially in conflict-affected regions, is essential for resilience, innovation and meaningful participation in today’s economy.”
He stressed that the EU’s Global Gateway strategy prioritises people-centred digital transformation that translates skills and infrastructure into jobs, viable enterprises and long-term economic stability at community level.
Providing an implementation overview, ZOA Programme Manager, Godwin Dominic, described the programme as a critical intervention in regions where access to technology remains limited.
“Beyond training 18,193 people, we focused on building systems that last,” Dominic said. “The IT hubs, school-based digital access and the Digital Literacy Working Group are designed to sustain skills development and coordination long after the programme’s conclusion.”
The Borno State Government also welcomed the initiative, noting its alignment with state development priorities. Representing the government, the Executive Secretary of the Borno Information and Communication Technology Development Agency (BICTDA), Engr. Mohammed Kabir Wanori, said the programme strengthened opportunities for women and youth while complementing existing ICT strategies and policies.
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 the focus going forward is ensuring that digital skills gained by beneficiaries translate into income generation, entrepreneurship and improved economic participation.
In a region still recovering from years of conflict and displacement, the programme’s outcomes underline the growing role of digital inclusion as both a development and stabilisation tool—one that connects marginalised communities to opportunity, markets and the wider digital economy.
