Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage has entered a new era of preservation and global accessibility with the launch of the nation’s first digital museum of antiquities.
The ground-breaking project, developed through a collaboration between IHS Nigeria, a subsidiary of IHS Holding Limited, one of the world’s largest independent owners, operators, and developers of shared communications infrastructure by tower count, and the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), aims to digitize and showcase the country’s treasured artefacts to audiences worldwide.
Unveiled Thursday by the NCMM’s Director General, Olugbile Holloway, the initiative marks a major leap in modernizing how Nigeria’s cultural assets are preserved, promoted, and experienced, ensuring that priceless historical items are not only safeguarded but also made accessible beyond the walls of physical museums.
The digital museum is the first significant project under the NCMM’s Digital Culture Initiative. Aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the initiative is designed to provide a platform for the exploration and appreciation of Nigeria’s diverse cultural heritage.
It also demonstrates the power of public-private sector partnerships and underscores IHS Nigeria’s commitment to sustainability and its role in helping foster cultural preservation and digital education.
Mohamad Darwish, CEO, IHS Nigeria, commented, “Today is a proud moment for us as we see the digital museum come alive. As a company deeply rooted in Nigeria, we are excited to have played a key part in this ground-breaking effort to preserve and promote Nigeria’s cultural heritage, while also making it accessible to people around the world.
“The success of this partnership with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments and the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, reinforces our commitment to the innovative use of technology to promote education, transform communities and drive economic growth. I look forward to seeing how this will help evolve the museum culture in Nigeria, as well as appreciation for Nigeria’s rich history globally.”
Hannatu Musawa, Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, commented, “This historic event marks a transformative milestone in the preservation, promotion, and accessibility of Nigeria’s vast cultural heritage. For the first time, authentic Nigerian antiquities will be showcased in an innovative digital space, making our rich history and artistic expression accessible to audiences both within and beyond our borders. This initiative not only preserves our heritage, but also projects Nigeria’s cultural legacy onto the global stage.
“This remarkable achievement would not have been possible without the valuable partnership between the National Commission for Museums and Monuments and IHS Nigeria. Their collaborative vision and commitment to cultural advancement have set a new benchmark for public-private partnerships.
“This partnership exemplifies the power of collective effort in driving innovation, fostering national pride, and enhancing the creative economy. I urge all Nigerians and the international community to embrace this new era of digital cultural engagement, as we continue to celebrate and safeguard our national treasures for generations to come.”
Olugbile Holloway, Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, said, “The launch of this digital museum represents a ground-breaking idea finally brought to fruition. The vision behind this museum is to make Nigeria’s heritage more accessible to a wider, younger, tech savvy audience. It is our hope that this first iteration of the digital museum will serve as a starting point for building a digital repository of real-life Nigerian antiquities that we will continue to expand over time.
“In creating this digital museum, over 200 actual antiquities from our collection at the National Museum Lagos have been 3D scanned and placed in an immersive environment. Each object is also tagged with the relevant educational material to provide viewers with more information on the object being displayed.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank IHS Nigeria for their invaluable partnership and support in bringing this vision to life and look forward to future collaborations to further display Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage to an even broader audience.”