Stakeholders reject telecom academy, urge FG to strengthen DBI

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s telecom and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector have urged the Federal Government to strengthen the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) and expand its mandate to bridge skill gaps in the industry.

They argued that instead of setting up a new National Telecom Academy, as proposed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the government should build on the existing capacity of DBI.

The call was made at a recent Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum on Skill Gaps in the Telecom Value Chain held in Lagos, where industry players warned that creating a new academy would duplicate efforts and waste scarce resources.

The Forum, themed “Bridging the Telecom Value Chain Skill Gap: Empowering Indigenous Talents for Industry Growth,” was organised by the NCC and brought together regulators, operators, academia, manufacturers, start-ups, development partners, and government agencies.

NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Aminu Maida, represented by Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Abraham Oshadami, had earlier defended the idea of a National Telecom Academy, stressing that the sector faces a worsening shortage of skilled manpower

Citing a 2024 ITU assessment, Maida warned: “Employers in Nigeria require about 30% of advanced digital skills, but only 11% of workers currently possess them. Critical roles such as data analysts, ICT engineers, and software developers already account for 25% of jobs, but 27% of these roles are hard to fill. Demand will rise by nearly 30% in the next five years.”

He listed expatriate dependence, capital flight, poor remuneration, and brain drain as major contributors to the problem, noting that NCC and private operators were investing in multiple initiatives to fill the gap. 

However, many stakeholders at the forum disagreed with the Commission’s push for a new academy.

Vice President, Nigeria Infrastructure Fund at the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Abraham Durosawo, argued that the solution lies in expanding DBI’s scope, not duplicating institutions.
“The mandates and scope of the Digital Bridge Institute should be looked at and expanded to address the gaps in the market. DBI has done excellent work, but it needs to be strengthened further. Why do we need a National Telecom Academy when we can strengthen the DBI?” Durosawo asked.

He called for DBI’s shareholders to be expanded and more investors with long-term capital brought on board.

President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Tony Emoekpere, also stressed that skill shortages were already undermining industry growth.
“Our industry faces a shortage of skilled professionals in vital areas, including RF engineering, fibre planning, cybersecurity, data centre operations, and project management,” he said.

On his part, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, noted the urgent need for mid-level skills and practical training:
“These so-called small skills are critical. In four years, I lost 12 skilled technicians in my company to Canada, Germany, the U.S., and the UK. It’s not just about training them, but retaining them with better incentives and social guarantees,” Adebayo lamented.

The forum concluded that investing in DBI and repositioning it for greater impact is central to reducing Nigeria’s reliance on foreign expertise, sustaining telecom growth, and strengthening the country’s competitiveness in the global digital economy.