Worried about the dearth of digital skills across organisations in the Nigerian telecoms sector, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), yesterday, held a stakeholders’ consultative forum in Lagos.

One of the most pressing challenges facing Nigeria’s telecoms industry is the shortage of indigenous talent to sustain sector growth.

Speaking at the forum, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, said since the liberalisation of the telecoms sector in 2001, the telecoms industry has created more than 500,000 jobs, transformed connectivity, and enabled economic growth, yet the industry still struggles with digital skills deficit that threatens the telecoms sector gains.

According to Maida, studies, including the 2024 ITU assessment of Nigeria’s digital economy, highlight that while employers require about 30 per cent of advanced digital skills, only 11 per cent of currently employed workers possess them.

Maida, who was represented by the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services at NCC, Abraham Oshadami, said the five critical roles such as desktop/support technicians, data analysts, ICT engineers, software developers, and data scientists, made up 25 per cent of jobs today, but explained that 27 per cent of the roles were already hard to fill, and that 29 per cent more would be required in the next five years.

“The skills required in our telecoms value chain can be grouped into four categories: Core Technical Skills – covering network engineering, 5G/6G deployment, fibre optics, spectrum management, and cybersecurity; Software and Data Competencies – including software engineering, AI, data science, cloud, IoT, blockchain, and analytics; Business and Strategic Skills – project management, regulatory compliance, policy, entrepreneurship, and digital business strategy; and Soft Skills – leadership, collaboration, communication, and adaptability in a rapidly evolving sector,” Maida said.

Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, in his speech, focused on the low-level technical skills that the telecoms sector was lacking.

“We are producing many high-end skills in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Programming, and advanced technologies, but we do not have enough ‘foot soldiers’, which are the technicians, riggers, engineers, and other hands-on workers that keep the industry running. These skills may seem basic or mundane, but they are critical,” Adebayo said.

He advised that the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), which already has campuses across the country, could integrate more practical skills into its curriculum, and member companies could adopt and sponsor campuses. The partnerships can provide scholarships, certification, and job guarantees, just as companies like Coca-Cola once did through its manufacturing aid programmes.

Panelists that spoke at different panel sessions, emphasised the need for training and retraining of talents among staff of various organisations and the need for government incentives to enhance and retain already trained personnel.