Almost two decades later, that same programme has earned global acclaim.

On a crisp Monday in Geneva, Switzerland, the DAP was crowned a WSIS Prize 2025 winner in the prestigious Access to Information and Knowledge category (C3), standing tall among hundreds of entries submitted from around the world to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).

The prize, awarded by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and WSIS, recognised DAP’s enduring impact, over 300 secondary schools across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones have been equipped with ICT infrastructure, including computers and internet connectivity.

From Lagos to Lafia, students now explore the same online world as their peers in developed nations, unlocking knowledge that can shape careers, communities, and the future of the nation.

Dr. Aminu Maida, the executive vice chairman of the NCC, stood before a global audience at the WSIS Prizes 2025 Ceremony, receiving the award not just for a programme, but for a vision made real.

“This recognition is more than a celebration of past efforts,” Dr. Maida said. “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.”

The DAP’s win was not Nigeria’s only moment in the spotlight. Four other Nigerian initiatives, Women Techsters, ADEPTI, Telecom-Based Research Grant Initiative, and the Digital Learning Initiative, were honoured as WSIS Champion Projects in their respective categories, affirming Nigeria’s growing reputation as a leader in digital empowerment.

The WSIS Forum, an annual gathering convened by the United Nations, brings together global voices—governments, civil society, academia, and the private sector, to discuss how technology can drive sustainable development.

Its Action Lines are aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the WSIS Prizes serve as a global showcase for how ICTs are changing lives and reshaping futures.

For Nigeria, the award is more than a trophy, it is a signal. A signal that the seeds planted in school classrooms years ago are bearing fruit, not only in exam scores and coding skills, but in global recognition and national pride.

And for the students typing their first lines of code, researching biology projects online, or simply discovering the world beyond their communities, the future looks just a little brighter.

This call was made by Dr. Jimson Olufuye, principal consultant at Kontemporary Konsulting Ltd and Chairman of the 2025 Nigeria DigitalSENSE Africa Forum on Internet Governance for Development.

The call was made during the forum held at the Welcome Centre Hotels, MM International Airport Road, Lagos, on Thursday, June 19.

The Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum series, hosted by the internet corporation for assigned names and numbers (ICANN) certified At-Large Structure (ALS), DigitalSENSE Africa, under the Africa Regional At-Large Organization (AFRALO), is powered by ITREALMS Media.

The WSIS review aims to assess progress made since the summit’s initial outcomes in 2003 and 2005, focusing on key areas such as digital divides, internet governance, and sustainable development.

Olufuye also encouraged Nigeria’s ICT stakeholders to participate in the review process, sharing their experiences and insights to shape the country’s digital future.

By engaging in the WSIS review process, Olufuye who is member of the United Nations’ Multistakeholder Advisory Group, said, Nigeria’s ICT stakeholders could contribute to shaping the country’s digital landscape and ensuring that the benefits of technology are equitably distributed.

The stakeholders have also been urged to explore opportunities for collaboration and partnership to drive technological development and economic growth.

The WSIS review process, he underscored, is expected to culminate in future high-level events, where world leaders and ICT stakeholders will gather to review progress and outline future directions.

This event will provide a platform for stakeholders to discuss key issues, such as digital divide, Internet Governance, cyber security among others.

In addition to fostering the Sustainable Development by leveraging digital technologies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He recalls that some countries have already conducted WSIS reviews, providing valuable lessons and insights for Nigeria.

In 2015, he recalled that there was  a WSIS+10 Review by the UN General Assembly to conduct a ten-year review of the WSIS outcomes, which reaffirmed the WSIS principles and called for a further review by the Assembly in 2025, hence countries like Nigeria should take the review seriously.

Olufuye further pointed out that by participating in the WSIS review process, Nigeria’s ICT stakeholders could help shape the country’s digital future and ensure that the benefits of technology are equitably distributed.

Welcoming participants earlier, the Lead Consulting Strategist, DigitalSENSE Africa and Group of ITREALMS Media group, Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke noted that the 16th annual forum began since 2009, which has continued to rally Internet stakeholders to address challenges in Internet Governance, security, and socio-economic impact, focusing on students, youth, women, and community-based organizations.

Focus, this year, he said, was on the Global Digital Compact (GDC), a globally significant UN initiative that demands global effort and urged Nigeria to take lead in this transformation, at least from the African continent.

“The GDC calls us to commit to bridging digital divides, inclusive digital economy, open, safe, and secure digital space; international data governance and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to name a few,” he said.

Nweke also appreciated participation of esteemed speakers, including Dr. Jimson Olufuye, Mr. Muhammed Rudman, Mr. Gbenga Sesan and Mrs. Tinuade Oguntuyi, among others.

NDSF 2025, he said, was hosted in partnership with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) via the African At-Large Regional Organisation (AFRALO), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), Internet Society Nigeria chapter, NLNG, NNPCL, Digital Realty, and Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), among others.

He made this disclosure while receiving the reports of the high level tracks during the Ministerial round table at the ongoing event in Geneva, Switzerland.

Addressing global Ministers of technology at the end of the two day multi-stakeholder deliberations, the Chairman informed his counterparts that “my vision for this year’s WSIS Forum includes a paradigm shift from a focus on the five day activity to one that will entail a set of activities over the period of the year to enhance the ability of the stakeholders to achieve the objectives of the WSIS Action Lines, with the reports of the high-level tracks as our baseline and launch pad for the year-long activities. ”

The intense high level track deliberations, which consisted of eleven sessions, explored the areas such as bridging digital divides, inclusiveness and access to information for all, applications and services, climate change, enabling environment, digital economy and trade, financing for development and the role of ICT, cultural diversity and identity, dimensions of information and knowledge societies, media, ICTs and gender mainstreaming, among others.

According to Uwa Suleiman, Spokesperson to the Minister, the Chairman further emphasised that the WSIS Action Lines are crucial for advancing the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals hence, it is important to continue to align the process with the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. 

Rewind:

Pantami Chairs WSIS Forum 2022, calls for high level multi-stakeholders advisory council

Similarly, Pantami on Tuesday 31st May 2022 made history as he formally chaired the on-going World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).

The Minister led global economies converging on the headquarters of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to declare the high level policy sessions open.

Addressing participants from over one hundred countries, Professor Pantami leveraged on this year’s theme titled: ICTs for well-being, Inclusion and Resilience; WSIS Cooperation for Accelerating Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to call for more support for technological development through multi stakeholder engagements, partnerships and collaborations between institutions and global economies, as it is the enabling tool for global economic prosperity and development.

“There is a need for this forum to constitute a high level multistakeholder advisory council and a multistakeholder implementation committee to ensure that we continue to track and monitor outcomes and engagements post event.”

Speaking further, Professor Pantami noted that “Today, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is no longer a choice but a necessity as the world has come to realise particularly during the pandemic, as technology enabled us to continue with our activities and especially the business of governance virtually”. Using Nigeria as a case study, the Forum Chairman disclosed that “Nigeria exited the recession brought about by the pandemic a year earlier than predicted, ahead of several other countries in spite of global projections, largely due to the influence of technologies. Available statistics further provide proof that ICT played a principal role in achieving this feat”.

In the last quarter of 2020, the Nigerian ICT Sector grew by 14.70% and 12.90% for the whole year, and the sector continues to make quantum leaps as we take advantage of resources at our disposal to enable economic development. Nigeria’s youthful population with an average age of 18.3 years, coupled with the advantage of having the largest economy on the African continent, positions it strategically to explore digital technologies for optimal growth.”

The forum consists of eleven high level panel discussions with globally recognised sector experts, policy makers, heads of governments, corporations and civil society organisations.

​WSIS 2022: Chairman Pantami Bags International Commendation

Mr Houlin Zhao, the Secretary General, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), has commended the energetic spirit and outstanding contribution Minister Pantami brought into his role as the Chairman, World Summit on Information Society.

The Secretary General made this known shortly before presenting the ITU certificate of appreciation and medal of honour to Minister Pantami who serves as the Chairman of the UN summit taking place in Geneva, Switzerland.

The certificate reads;

“The International Telecommunication Union recognises Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Federal Republic of Nigeria;

Chairman of the WSIS Forum 2022 for his outstanding contributions to the World Summit on the Information Society Forum 2022″.

Another feat which like others preceding it, brings national acclaim and global recognition to Nigeria in particular, and Africa in general. In the last couple of years, he has become the symbol of undeniable change.

In a society where ineptitude, self-aggrandizement, corruption, pretentious discretion, learned lawlessness and senseless resistance to progressive change seem to have a free rein in the most unexpected quarters, HM Pantami came along and disrupted the norm.

The magnitude of change and the impact of his leadership capabilities is a shock to those who are stuck in the doldrums of yesterday.

His Excellency, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami FNCS, FBCS, FIIM, MCPN has just been appointed Chairman of the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) 2022 by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

This historically positions him as the first Nigerian to ever serve in this capacity.  In conveying and justifying this appointment, the Secretary General of the International Communications Union (ITU) said “In light of his overall commitment to information and knowledge societies and the active role he has played in WSIS.”

The Professor of Cybersecurity is a catalyst for change and operates an impactful leadership style.

HM Pantami does not hide behind the ease of short term, one-hit-wonder-glories. He conceives strategies that hitherto didn’t exist and follows through from draft to implementation with matchless focus. This article is an attempt to highlight the resounding impact of the Professor’s leadership.

It is not enough to focus on the various novel policies, projects and strategies he has established as in my humble opinion, they limit the scope of his achievements. I shall however mention in passing some of these history-altering strategies to lend credence to my assertions.

I will broadly categorise them into two. First, the re-designation of the Ministry to include the “Digital Economy” nomenclature and secondly, The National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) initiative. These brilliant ideas form the bedrock of HM Pantami’s foundational change.

Within a little over two years in office as the  Digital Economy driver, Nigeria has seen the offshoots of the aforementioned translate into  sixteen policies, some of which are already in full effect and some at various stages of implementation. Nigeria is well on its way to compiling its first comprehensive data base and like it or not, essential services are becoming more accessible, less cumbersome, transparent and efficient.  

Earlier this year, I was flagged down by officers of the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) on my way to work, on one of those mornings when the clock seemed to be on a marathon and everything that could slow you down was in full effect. Within the less than a minute that it took me to park properly and retrieve my vehicle documents, the officer waved me on saying “madam your papers are up to date you can go” I didn’t understand what just happened and in spite of my hurry, I asked how he knew without even looking at them.

Then he pointed to the official vehicle parked a few metres away. “We checked it out on our system” That is what a digital society feels like – efficient, effective and transparent.

Before January 25th 2019, the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) was non-existent. It took the intervention of my boss as the then Director General of NITDA, to initiate a clearly strategic policy and nurture it to a full fledged, functional public parastatal today. (The story of NDPR and the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB) is a discourse for another day), but suffice to state here that, that singular action inspired a revolution about data protection in Africa. 

Professor Pantami is a known advocate of skills. Particularly, digital skills and  he has continued to ensure unprecedented investments in digital skills without going cap in hand to anybody but by meticulously and doggedly laying an unshakeable foundation which like a flower in bloom, is attracting the bees. Besides the numerous digital skills training programmes he has initiated for various institutions and individuals, he has ensured sustainability by establishing institutions and policies that  guarantee continuity.

The first of its kind in Africa, functional National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics which has become a breeding ground for innovators and innovations is to his credit. The Nigeria Startup Bill is still generating excitement in the ecosystem just understanding its potential. The National Assembly is dotting the I’s and crossing the t’s (if any) and the most supportive bill yet specifically geared towards the unhindered development of an indigenous ecosystem would be birthed and of course, there is the almighty 5th Generation network deployment.

Thanks to the unprecedented level of awareness and consciousness brought about by Pantami’s relentless campaigns and initiatives, nothing is, and will ever remain the same again. Agriculture, Education, Health, Commerce, Finance, Aviation, Entrepreneurship, Manufacturing, Security, Communications and most importantly the business of Governance. Everything is changing. All the elements and factors are keying into the enabler- technologies.

The ripple effects of what I have enumerated thus far, is a game changer for any economy. The World Bank Diagnostic report on the Nigeria Digital Economy expressly states that “As the biggest economy in Africa, Nigeria is well positioned to develop a strong digital economy. This would have a transformational impact on the country”.

Besides potential and resources, the main vehicle for transformational impact is leadership. Focused, intentional, result-oriented leadership. And this is the void Pantami has come to fill and he is doing it like he was born for it.

He is equipped with the capacity to lead, the bravery to chart new courses, the will to insist on doing it right and the resilience required in these peculiar climes to ignore distractions and stay the course. Professor Pantami if nothing else, has shone the light in a very dark tunnel and paved the path to the realisation that a digital economy is the enabler. The awareness has been created and the response has been overwhelming. 

Currently, the focus like never before is on Nigeria’s digital economy and I am talking on a global scale. Thanks to the intentional leadership and vision of the Honourable Minister, the offices of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy has become a breeding ground of viable ideas and a Mecca of sorts for egg heads who understand and share the future he is bent on bringing to reality. The world is excited about Pantami. Like a phoenix he rises through the most patriotic actions we have witnessed in these climes.

While we bicker and waste precious time and energy debating on the rather mundane and ridiculous, the world is embracing this symbol of change. On a daily basis, global corporations, tech giants of repute, policy makers of no mean repute, diplomats, royalties, captains of industry, Private sector investors, security chiefs, throng to his office seeking collaborations and partnerships that we had only hitherto read of happening in other climes, with Nigeria.

These are verifiable facts as there are investments which prove renewed faith in the country owing to the breath of fresh air Pantami epitomises.

The world knows that this is a man who must be taken seriously by all accounts. The world sees Professor Pantami as Africa’s game changer and is responding in like manner. Easily the most performing Minister in Nigeria today, he has attracted the most investment through his sector into the country. 

Microsoft for instance, just established the Africa Development Centre in Lagos, Nigeria. This is a multi-million dollar investment that has given impetus to the Minister’s capacity building initiatives. This Centre, is going to be a melting pot of the best innovations Africa can boast of.  At inception, Seven Hundred innovators trained to be trainers were already on ground. On a working visit to the Honourable Minister, on 1st April 2022, the President of Microsoft Corporation Mr Brad Smith said “We are excited about Nigeria in part because of your leadership and your role in the digital economy plan and we are willing to invest in Nigeria because we are confident in your digital economy drive.”

On the 14th of February 2022, the European Union (EU) came calling. Leader of the delegation, Executive Vice President, Her Excellency Margrethe Vestager was excited to announce an Eight Hundred and Twenty Million Euro investment through its Global Gateway Initiative, in the digital economy sector in key areas like digital infrastructure, entrepreneurship, skills and governance because in her words “the leadership of the Honourable Minister has restored confidence in the country’s digital potential.”

The world trade ambassador Dr A.M AbdulHamid on a working visit to HM Pantami  on the 8th of March 2022, said “the purpose of our visit today is to applaud and appreciate you for your role in the transformation agenda which you have introduced into this country. With the transformation you have brought, especially with the introduction of the digital economy, the future of e-commerce in Nigeria is guaranteed.” I have lost count of how many ambassadorial delegations have paid homage to my boss’ office seeking  to ingratiate their countries into his transformational policies through various partnerships and collaborations. 

My Boss HM Pantami is an uncommon leader, the type that a people are blessed with generationally. Patriotic to a fault, unusually selfless and futuristic in his vision. When my boss says “Nigeria is not about West Africa but about the continent as a whole”, I see exactly what he means in his actions. It is easy to recall that Pantami inspired the enactment and implementation of the Data Protection Regulation across Africa. Countries like Ghana, actually sent delegations to interact with us and learn from him how to move forward with data protection in their various domains. When he speaks at global fora, he represents Africa not just Nigeria. Every single personality whom I have been privileged to welcome into my boss’ esteemed offices has attested the the Nigeria Digital Economy Policy and Strategy document as a continental game changer, one way or the other.

I am personally exhausted with the maxim that “a prophet is not recognised in his own home”. Let us be the country and the generation that recognises and honours and supports its “prophets”. Before HM Pantami’s incursion into the Nigerian public sector, we all dreamt and yearned for a messianic figure who can bring about the much needed change.

There is no spirit-like being who will descend on wings to come and perform magic. The change makers are human, they are living, breathing, ordinary humans like our HM Pantami. What sets them apart is what they do and how they do it. Now we have Pantami. It is up to us to recognise, support and honour our own before the world snatches him away from us. When we were unaware we had an asset of this valuable magnitude, it was forgivable to be blissfully ignorant. But now that we know, it will be unforgivable to lose him to any other country in the world.

And trust me, the world is watching, waiting and hungry for that opportunity.

*UWA SULEIMAN is the Spokesperson to the Honourable Minister

The WSIS Prizes 2022 is an exceptional international recognition of WSIS stakeholders as winners and champions for their excellence in supporting the implementation of WSIS outcomes, in particular the action lines supporting achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

It was developed in response to requests from the WSIS stakeholders to create an effective mechanism to evaluate projects and activities that leverage the power of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to advance sustainable development. Since inception, the contest of WSIS Prizes has attracted hundreds of thousands of stakeholders. 

The letter, which conveyed the UN recognition to WITIN, which was signed by the Program Coordinator, Strategic Planning and Membership Department, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Vladimir Stankovic, reads: “Congratulations! It is with great pleasure to inform you that your project has been selected as the WSIS Prize 2022 Champion! Explore the results of the Selection Phase and meet all Champions here www.wsis.org/prizes

“Following our public announcement of the WSIS Prizes 2022 Champion on the aforementioned website, we are reaching to you with brief summary of this year’s annual awards and invitation to celebrate your achievement together.

“Out of 966 submitted projects, 360 were nominated for the Online Voting, following a comprehensive review by the Expert Group. We have reviewed more than 1.3 million votes cast and your project was among the top five most voted in your category. We would like to congratulate you on this amazing achievement and to invite you to promote this global recognition.

“Continuing with the last years’ much appreciated practice by the WSIS community, we are pleased to recognize the efforts and great work of WSIS Prizes 2022 runner-ups as WSIS Prizes 2022 Champions during the final week of the WSIS Forum 2022 (May 30 to June 3) and beyond. We will soon be sharing more detailed information about the program and proposals for your participation and promotion.”

Responding to the award, Mrs. Martha Alade, the Founder, Women in Technology in Nigeria (WITIN), said the recognition will give the body, immense visibility, “with our hashtag #WomenPRIDEdotAfrica trending for the first time. We saw people we have never met speaking up and acknowledging our efforts of two decades globally. This is motivating us enormously to work even harder, surpassing our target. Also, it gives us a platform to reach out to more partners.”

Alade, who said WomenPride.Africa is an acronym for (Women and Girls, Pivoting, Resilience, In the Digital Economy in Africa), disclosed that it was a COVID-response and an initiative of WITIN, which equips women and girls to thrive in the digital economy via three pivotal pillars, which are in-demand digital skills training; urban-rural partnerships and empowerment; and meaningful access and adoption advocacy.

She said it is a five-year action plan (2020 – 2025) in partnership with the International Telecommunications Union Girls in ICT and Partner2Connect coalition  aimed at socio-economically empowering 100,000  women and girls in Nigeria and Africa at large.

The WITIN Founder said the organisation organises series of hybrid workshops for girls in May and June 2022, in line with the ITU approved toolkit for celebration of Girls in ICT 2022 events.