The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has clinched the 2025 World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prize for its impactful Digital Awareness Programme (DAP). The award was presented in Category C3 – Access to Information and Knowledge, during a prestigious ceremony held in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday.

The Digital Awareness Programme, a flagship initiative of the NCC, emerged winner in its category after receiving the highest number of global votes among hundreds of entries. The programme was lauded for its strategic role in equipping secondary schools across Nigeria with essential information and communication technology (ICT) tools and internet connectivity, thereby strengthening digital literacy and inclusion in underserved areas.

Since its launch in 2006, the DAP has provided ICT facilities and broadband connectivity to over 300 schools across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, bridging the digital divide and supporting the country’s vision of a knowledge-based economy.

Receiving the award, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, expressed profound appreciation to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the WSIS community for acknowledging Nigeria’s efforts. According to him, the award signals global validation of the country’s push towards inclusive digital access and sustainable development.

“This recognition is more than a celebration of past efforts; it is an encouragement to press forward. It affirms that investing in digital inclusion is investing in national development, and that Nigeria’s work is being seen and valued on the global stage,” Dr. Maida stated.

The WSIS Prizes celebrate impactful ICT projects that support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by promoting inclusive access, capacity building, and innovation in technology use. Nigeria’s DAP stood out among global competitors for its consistent delivery, scalability, and direct community impact.

In addition to the winning project, four other Nigerian initiatives received special mention in the Champions Category of the WSIS Prizes 2025. These include:

Women Techsters

Advanced Digital Empowerment Programme for Tertiary Institutions (ADEPTI)

Telecom-Based Research Grant Initiative

Digital Learning Initiative


While they did not win their categories, the projects were recognised for their strong impact in capacity building, enabling environments, and e-learning.

The WSIS forum, a United Nations-led initiative, provides a global multi-stakeholder platform for shaping policies, projects, and strategies that leverage digital technologies for inclusive development. The 2025 edition of the summit brought together government representatives, private sector leaders, civil society groups, academics, and development organisations.

The NCC’s victory reinforces Nigeria’s emerging leadership in the African digital economy space. It also underscores the importance of long-term investments in digital education infrastructure and public-private collaboration to drive innovation and digital literacy.

The recognition is timely, as Nigeria intensifies efforts to expand broadband penetration, improve tech education, and support startups through regulatory and funding frameworks. Analysts believe that awards such as this can significantly bolster investor confidence in Nigeria’s ICT ecosystem and help accelerate efforts to achieve 70% broadband penetration by 2027, in line with the government’s National Broadband Plan.

For Nigeria, the WSIS Prize is more than just an award—it is a call to action to expand and deepen digital inclusion, especially in rural and marginalised communities, where access to technology can transform education, livelihoods, and national productivity.