The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has identified high device and connectivity costs, inaccessible digital products and inadequate digital skills as major barriers limiting the full participation of persons with disabilities in Nigeria’s digital economy.

The commission also identified the limited involvement of persons with disabilities in the design and development of technology as another challenge, warning that digital transformation could create new barriers if accessibility and inclusion were not deliberately integrated into technology development.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, disclosed this on Wednesday in Lagos at the opening of a digital citizenship training programme for persons with disabilities organised by the commission.

Maida, who was represented by the Director of Digital Economy at the NCC, Mrs Helen Obi, said digital transformation must be inclusive, accessible and people-centred.

“Digital technology should create opportunities, not create new barriers,” he said.

According to him, effective digital inclusion goes beyond providing people with access to the internet, stressing that it also requires appropriate devices, affordable and reliable broadband services, accessible digital platforms, relevant digital skills and secure digital systems.

He said removing these barriers would enable persons with disabilities to benefit more fully from opportunities in education, employment, entrepreneurship, public services and access to information.

Maida said the NCC considers digital inclusion a central component of its broader digital transformation agenda and has implemented various interventions through the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) to extend digital opportunities to underserved communities.

He listed some of the interventions as School Knowledge Centres, Information Resource Centres, University Connectivity Initiatives and e-Health projects.

The NCC boss also disclosed that the commission’s e-Accessibility Project had provided information and communication technology tools as well as assistive technologies to institutions supporting persons with disabilities.

He said the commission was equally supporting research and innovation aimed at developing practical technology solutions for persons with disabilities through its Professorial Chair Initiative.

Maida cited an assistive walking stick prototype developed through the initiative as an example of efforts to deploy technology to address specific challenges faced by persons who are visually impaired.

According to him, the NCC is working towards further developing and potentially commercialising the prototype while ensuring that it keeps pace with emerging technologies and continues to respond to the needs of its intended users.

He also cited the fourth NCC Hackathon, themed, “Technology Without Barriers,” as another initiative through which the commission is encouraging the development of accessible technological solutions.

Maida said the digital citizenship training was designed to equip participants with practical knowledge and skills to use digital tools safely, responsibly and productively.

“Our goal is to strengthen the capacity of persons with disabilities to participate meaningfully in Nigeria’s digital economy,” he said.

The NCC’s focus on accessibility comes amid growing calls for more affordable digital devices and local technology production as part of efforts to close Nigeria’s digital inclusion gap.

Earlier in June, the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) declared support for the NCC’s push to promote local smartphone manufacturing in the country.

ALTON described the initiative as a practical measure capable of accelerating broadband adoption and expanding digital inclusion.

The chairman of ALTON, Gbenga Adebayo, stated the position of the association while reacting to comments by the NCC Board Chairman, Idris Olorunnimbe, who had called for local smartphone production and innovative financing models to address Nigeria’s digital inclusion gap.

Adebayo said Nigeria must deliberately transition from being predominantly a consumer of technology to becoming an innovator, designer and manufacturer of digital technologies.

He pointed to Nigeria’s large telecommunications market and youthful population as key advantages capable of providing the scale and human capital required to support world-class technology manufacturing.

He said strengthening local smartphone production, alongside measures to improve affordability and accessibility, could help reduce the cost barriers preventing many Nigerians from participating fully in the digital economy.