The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has supported the Federal Government’s Girls in ICT empowerment initiative by hosting 185 students on an industry excursion.
NCC Director of Public Affairs, Nnenna Ukoha, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
She said the tour was designed to inspire digital skills development and encourage future careers in technology.
It was reported that the initiative was led by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy.
The programme aims to equip young Nigerians, particularly girls, with digital knowledge and relevant technology skills.
Ukoha noted that participants were selected by the ministry from across the country’s geopolitical zones.
She explained that the students were chosen through a competition promoting digital inclusion and greater participation of girls in Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
Some participants were also selected from Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines.
“The visit to the Commission was part of activities organized by the Ministry under the National Girls in ICT Programme.
“It is an initiative aimed at bridging the gender gap in technology through digital skills, mentorship opportunities, and exposure to innovation,” she said.
Ukoha mentioned that participants learned about telecommunications developments dating back to 1886, when colonial authorities established communication facilities for administrative purposes.
She added that the students were introduced to the history of telegraph services linking Lagos with West Africa and Europe via submarine cables.
According to her, the tour also highlighted Nigeria’s telecommunications landscape at Independence in 1960.
She explained that Nigeria then had only 18,724 telephone lines serving an estimated population of about 40 million.
“The students were also briefed on post-Independence development plans and the operations of the former Department of Posts and Telecommunications.
“They also learned about Nigerian External Telecommunications Ltd. and the establishment of NITEL in 1985,” she said.
Ukoha noted that NITEL was created to coordinate internal and external telecommunications services nationwide.
She highlighted that a major attraction was the display of historical artifacts preserved at the NCC Museum.
Among the exhibits were a Post Office Counter and Sorting Racks introduced in Lagos in 1852.
Other artifacts included the Grand ‘T’ Key used in the nineteenth-century Lagos Post Office, leather mail bags from 1863, and late twentieth-century Drop Bag fittings.
Students also viewed a 511A Letter Scale, an Improved Dynamometer Scale, telegram machines, and the Teleprinter T100.
Additional exhibits included a Cordless PBX system, Digital Card Phone, and other communications equipment.
During the tour, NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Aminu Maida, said the initiative aligned with the Commission’s digital literacy goals.
Represented by Director of Research and Development, Babagana Digima, Maida explained that the museum connected past and present generations.
He added that the experience would help young people appreciate the sector’s evolution from analogue systems to digital technology.
According to him, understanding telecommunications history would inspire participants to contribute to future innovations.
Maida emphasized that exposing young people to technological advancements is vital for developing leaders for Nigeria’s digital economy.
“The goal is to engage the younger generation and show them what communication is all about.
“This museum preserves the history of communications and showcases the evolution from postal services to telegraphy and digital technology.
“We want to spark their curiosity and help them understand how far the sector has come.
“When they see the past and the present, they can imagine the future and contribute to shaping it,” he said.
During the tour, NCC officials guided participants through exhibits documenting key milestones in Nigeria’s telecommunications history.
The students also explored the sector’s evolution and its contribution to national development.
