In Abuja, a powerful alliance is taking shape between two national agencies, one rooted in technology, the other in humanitarian response, united by a shared vision: to leave no Nigerian behind in the digital era.
During a visit by the leadership of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) to the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Director General Kashifu Inuwa reaffirmed the agency’s dedication to extending digital empowerment to Nigeria’s most vulnerable populations. The meeting marked a deepening of collaboration aimed at addressing the needs of more than 6.1 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and countless refugees abroad.
This renewed partnership builds on previous efforts between the two organisations, including training and ICT support for staff, and now extends to bringing community-based digital literacy programs directly to IDP camps and resettlement communities nationwide. According to Inuwa, this initiative forms part of NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2024–2027), which targets achieving 70% digital literacy by 2027 under the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The plan includes deploying NYSC members as ICT trainers, establishing digital learning centres, installing infrastructure tailored to community needs, and collaborating with international tech organisations to create innovation hubs in camps across the Federal Capital Territory.
“We are scaling up this collaboration, not just with new IT equipment, but with community-focused digital literacy interventions that meet displaced persons where they are,” said Inuwa. “It’s not enough to bring tech, we must build ecosystems that support growth, education, and dignity.”
Echoing this sentiment, Federal Commissioner of NCFRMI, Tijani Aliyu Ahmed, praised NITDA’s leadership and reiterated his commission’s resolve to restore dignity to displaced families. He emphasised that the initiative is about more than technology, it is about securing the future of displaced persons through opportunity and empowerment.
“This partnership is not just about gadgets and screens,” Ahmed said. “It’s about giving people back their futures.”
NCFRMI’s broader strategy includes building resettlement cities in Borno, Kano, Zamfara, Katsina, and Nasarawa States. These cities will feature schools, hospitals, markets, and training centres to foster stability and self-reliance, including vocational and agricultural programs. The Commissioner stressed the urgency of equipping children and youth in these communities with ICT skills essential for modern life, including for exams like JAMB, access to healthcare, and e-governance services.
Together, NITDA and NCFRMI aim to transform displacement into opportunity, combining technology, education, and compassion to build a more inclusive and resilient Nigeria.
“The future belongs to those who build it today,” Inuwa concluded. “And we are building a future where every Nigerian no matter where they come from has the digital tools to thrive.”
