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By Nana Theresa Timothy and Elisha Chebwawaza Gideon
Benue State has restated its strong commitment to digital governance, broadband expansion, and inclusive innovation, positioning itself as a national model for ICT-driven development.
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This reaffirmation was made by the Group Managing Director/CEO of the Benue Digital Infrastructure Company (BDIC) and President/CEO of the Africa Digital Infrastructure Company (AfDIC), Gbande Hembaor Terwase, during his presentation as a speaker and panellist at the IEEE Connecting the Unconnected (CTU) Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) Summit 2025 held at Baze University, Abuja.
Terwase, speaking on the theme “Connect, Transform, Thrive: Nigeria’s Digital Transformation Models,” highlighted Benue State’s sweeping reforms under Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia, noting that the digital economy remains the cornerstone of 21st-century development.
Building a Robust Digital Public Infrastructure Framework
According to Terwase, Benue State’s digital transformation blueprint is driven by bold and structured investments, including:
- Establishment of the Benue Digital Infrastructure Company (BDIC) as the state’s digital public infrastructure hub
- Rollout of fibre optic networks across 18 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs)
- Training of 40,000 civil servants in digital governance
- Empowering over 10,000 youths through ICT and digital skills programmes
These initiatives operationalize a unified digital economy ecosystem anchored on shared ICT infrastructure, public service automation, geospatial intelligence, and youth capacity development. The result is a state-wide model that prioritizes inclusion, service efficiency, and future-ready governance.
Global Leaders Converge to Bridge the Digital Divide
The two-day IEEE CTU-EMEA Summit, held from November 27–28, 2025, convened global leaders, government ministers, development institutions, technology CEOs, innovators, and researchers to accelerate efforts toward universal digital access.
Hosted by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)—the world’s largest technical professional organization with over 423,000 members in more than 160 countries—the 2025 summit focused on the theme:
“Bridging Digital Frontiers: African Solutions for Universal Connectivity.”
Discussions centred on closing the connectivity gap for the 2.9 billion people worldwide still lacking meaningful internet access. The strong presence of high-level delegations underscored the urgency of Africa’s role in shaping global digital inclusion strategies.
Showcasing Benue’s People-Centred Digital Governance Model
Terwase’s participation amplified Benue State’s position as one of Nigeria’s most pragmatic digital transformation case studies. He highlighted reforms championed under Governor Alia, including:
- Integrated ICT infrastructure planning
- Adoption of geospatial intelligence for governance
- Strengthened public service automation
- Youth-centric digital skills programmes
- Expansion of broadband and shared digital services
These reforms, he noted, have placed Benue on the global map as a subnational leader in digital inclusion and infrastructure modernization.
AfDIC and the Continental Push for a Unified Digital Infrastructure
The engagement also showcased the expanding influence of AfDIC’s initiatives across Africa, especially the Africa Digital Infrastructure Masterplan (ADIM)—a continent-wide blueprint for harmonizing ICT infrastructure, digital services, and human capacity development.
Terwase emphasised AfDIC’s shared-infrastructure-as-a-service model as a practical pathway for Africa to accelerate connectivity using indigenous innovation, sustainable financing, and strategic partnerships.
Positioning Benue and Africa as Digital Transformation Leaders
The CEO’s participation at the IEEE CTU-EMEA Summit 2025 significantly boosted the visibility of Benue State and Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda on the global stage. It reinforced BDIC and AfDIC’s commitment to:
- Building resilient digital public infrastructure
- Expanding broadband penetration
- Driving ICT-led socio-economic empowerment
- Designing African-centric solutions for global connectivity challenges
The engagement not only strengthened Benue’s digital narrative but also positioned Africa as a key architect of the future digital world.
