IHS Nigeria says it has partnered with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) and the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy (FMACCE) to create a digital museum in the country.
The planned digital museum will preserve and share Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage with the world, the telecoms infrastructure company says.
“We are delighted to partner with IHS Nigeria on this initiative which aligns with His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, and our Ministry’s 8-point plan on fostering strategic partnerships. I am particularly pleased that this initiative, which is the first significant project under our Digital Culture Initiative, embodies our commitment to innovation, global partnerships, and the sustainable growth of our creative industries, positioning Nigeria as a leader on the global stage.”
According to IHS, this initiative is part of the company’s commitment to sustainability and education while promoting cultural preservation. It will digitize artifacts, artworks, and monuments, making Nigeria’s cultural heritage accessible online to a global audience.
“The partnership between IHS Nigeria, NCMM, and FMACCE will leverage technologies to digitize and display artifacts online, helping to preserve and showcase Nigeria’s cultural heritage,” IHS says in a statement seen by Technology Times. “It marks a significant step towards modernizing the preservation and dissemination of Nigeria’s cultural assets, making them more accessible to a broader audience,” says the telecoms infrastructure company.
The collaboration aligns with FMACCE’s Digital Culture Initiative, which aims to modernize the preservation of Nigeria’s history and provide a resource for education, tourism, and cultural diplomacy. “We look forward to contributing to the preservation of Nigeria’s cultural legacy,” Mohamad Darwish, CEO of IHS Nigeria says. He adds that the project reflects the company’s broader goals of fostering community development and economic growth.
Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, underscores the importance of the partnership in advancing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. “We are delighted to partner with IHS Nigeria on this initiative which aligns with His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, and our Ministry’s 8-point plan on fostering strategic partnerships. I am particularly pleased that this initiative, which is the first significant project under our Digital Culture Initiative, embodies our commitment to innovation, global partnerships, and the sustainable growth of our creative industries, positioning Nigeria as a leader on the global stage.”
Olugbile Holloway, Director-General of NCMM, explains that the digital museum will appeal to younger audiences while preserving the nation’s heritage for future generations. “We believe that to keep ahead of current trends and appeal to a younger demographic, it is imperative that a digital experience of our rich cultural heritage is created and made available to the public. The digital museum will serve as an invaluable resource for researchers, students, and the general public, both in Nigeria and around the world, and will play a crucial role in the preservation of our national heritage,” Holloway says.
The digital museum builds on global efforts to use technology for cultural preservation. There have been similar initiatives in countries like Egypt, where historic sites have been digitised to promote education and tourism, demonstrating how technology can preserve cultural assets.