By JESSICA DOGO

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.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the initiative was championed 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 said participants were selected by the ministry from across the country’s geopolitical zones.

She said the students were chosen for a competition promoting digital inclusion and greater participation of girls in Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

According to her, some participants were also drawn from Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines.

“The visit to the Commission formed part of activities organised 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 said participants learned about developments in telecommunications from 1886, when colonial authorities established communication facilities for administrative purposes.

She said the students were also introduced to the history of telegraph services linking Lagos with West Africa and Europe through submarine cables.

According to her, the tour highlighted the telecommunications landscape at Independence in 1960.

She said Nigeria then had only 18,724 telephone lines serving an estimated population of about 40 million people.

“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 said NITEL was created to coordinate internal and external telecommunications services across the country.

She noted that a major attraction during the visit was the display of historical artefacts preserved at the NCC Museum.

Among the exhibits were a Post Office Counter and Sorting Racks introduced in Lagos in 1852.

Other artefacts included the Grand ‘T’ Key used in the nineteenth century Lagos Post Office.

The collection also featured leather mail bags from 1863 and Drop Bag fittings from the late twentieth century.

Students 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.

Speaking during the tour, NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Dr Aminu Maida, said the initiative aligned with the Commission’s digital literacy objectives.

Represented by Director of Research and Development, Babagana Digima, Maida said the museum linked past and present generations.

He said the experience would help young people appreciate the sector’s transformation from analogue systems to the digital age.

According to him, understanding telecommunications history would inspire participants to contribute to future innovation.

Maida said exposing young people to technological advancement was essential for developing leaders for Nigeria’s digital economy.

“The whole idea 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 the curiosity of young people and help them understand how far the sector has progressed.

“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 evolution of the communications sector and its contribution to national development. (NAN)

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