THE DISTRICT Head of Dakwa in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) of the FCT, Alhaji Shuaibu Samu, has said the establishment of a community internet hub has improved digital access and created new opportunities for residents, particularly youths and women.
Samu stated this when participants of the Nigeria Community-Centred Connectivity Initiative Capacity Building Bootcamp visited the Dakwa Community Network Hub to assess its impact and explore ways of sustaining the facility.
He described the initiative as a “life-changing opportunity” for residents who previously struggled to access reliable and affordable internet services.
Samu commended the Centre for Information Technology and Development, the Association for Progressive Communications, Hello World and 48 Percent for establishing the facility.
“Before the establishment of this facility, access to reliable and affordable internet was a major challenge for our people.
“Now, our youths can access information, learn new skills and explore opportunities online without having to travel far from the community,” he said.
He urged residents to take ownership of the facility and support efforts to keep it operational.
A Community Champion at the hub, Ismail Shuaibu, said the facility was being managed through a community-driven model to ensure its sustainability.
According to him, users pay a small fee which is used to maintain the equipment and keep the service running.
“The idea is for the community to see this as its own facility. The small amount paid by users helps us maintain the equipment and provide the service continuously.
“Many young people now come here to study, search for jobs, access online opportunities and communicate with others,” he said.
Shuaibu added that the facility had also increased residents’ familiarity with digital tools and online services.
The CITAD Community Networks Coordinator, Haruna Adamu Hadejia, said the initiative was aimed at bridging the digital divide and ensuring underserved communities were not left behind in the digital economy.
He said CITAD and its partners had established similar community-centred connectivity initiatives in Jama’are, Itas and Hanafari in Bauchi State, as well as Tungan Ashere, Leleyin Gwari and Pesefa in the Federal Capital Territory.
Hadejia said the impact of the initiative depended not only on providing internet infrastructure but also on how communities used and managed the facilities.
“Connectivity is only the beginning. What is important is how communities use the internet to improve education, access employment opportunities, obtain information, communicate and support local development.
“We want communities to have ownership of these networks so that they can continue to benefit from them even after the initial intervention,” he said.
He said the experience from Dakwa showed that involving residents in the management of community networks was important for their sustainability.
The visit was part of the Nigeria Community-Centred Connectivity Initiative Capacity Building Bootcamp, which brings together stakeholders to strengthen community-led approaches to expanding meaningful and sustainable internet access.
The bootcamp is convened by Local Access Networks, a joint initiative of the Association for Progressive Communications and Rhizomatica, and hosted by CITAD, with participation from MAJI, Fantsuam Foundation and Hello World.
It is supported by the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office through its Digital Access Programme, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, the World Association for Christian Communication and 48percent.org.
