PS Isaboke Champions Digital Inclusion at Gates Foundation Event

The Government has reiterated its commitment to bridging the digital divide through aggressive infrastructure investment and targeted policy interventions aimed at rural communities and youth-led innovation. Broadcasting and Telecommunications Principal Secretary Stephen Isaboke, EBS, affirmed this strategy during a high-level panel session at the Global Growth and Opportunities event, hosted by the Gates Foundation earlier today.

The Principal Secretary affirmed the strategic milestones currently driving the Fifth Administration’s Digital Superhighway and Creative Economy agenda. He explained that a robust backbone is the foundation of true digital inclusion, highlighting the ongoing nationwide rollout of 100,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable, the establishment of 1,450 digital innovation hubs and the deployment of 25,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots designed to expand economic opportunities at the grassroots level.

While acknowledging that structural hurdles surrounding network connectivity and affordability persist, PS Isaboke outlined deliberate state interventions designed to lower the barrier to entry for ordinary citizens. He noted that targeted Government interventions, including measures to make smartphones more affordable, the strategic utilisation of the Universal Service Fund and localised digital skills programmes running through the ward-level hubs, are actively dismantling the digital divide in rural areas.

Beyond physical connectivity, the Principal Secretary emphasised that long-term sustainability relies heavily on human capital, community-driven solutions and forward-looking governance frameworks. He underscored the critical importance of capacity building and AI readiness, calling for deliberate pathways that grant the younger generation greater opportunities to lead, innovate and shape the digital economy. “Digital transformation remains one of the greatest opportunities of our time,” he noted adding that through collaboration and inclusive policies, the state will ensure no one is left behind.

The high-level session brought together prominent continental and global figures in data governance, digital rights and the private sector. Also present was Hari Menon, the President of the Global Growth and Opportunity division at the Gates Foundation. The panel also featured the Data Protection Commissioner Immaculate Kassait, SC; Maria Mbeneka, a pan-African digital rights and data governance lawyer and Ory Okolloh, a partner at Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures, alongside other senior officials from the Foundation.