From Talk to Touch: How the Digital Community Fair Brought Technology Closer to People
For many communities, technology is something talked about rather than experienced. It appears in policy documents, conference panels, and online conversations, but rarely in forms people can see, use, or relate to in their daily lives. The Digital Community Fair (DCF) was created to change that reality.
Organised by Blue Sapphire Hub (BSH) and funded by UK International Development, the Digital Community Fair was a two-day digital engagement programme held across three states in Northern Nigeria; Jigawa, Katsina, and Kano. Its mission was simple yet ambitious: to accelerate digital adoption by bringing technology directly to the people it is meant to serve.
A Fair Designed Around Access
The Digital Community Fair was not designed as a conventional tech event. Instead of focusing on speeches alone, it created a space where community members could see, touch, and interact with digital solutions in real time.
Across the three states, the fair convened digital solution providers, innovators, ecosystem stakeholders, and everyday community members under one roof. Each location recorded over 400 attendees, reflecting both strong interest and a clear demand for practical digital engagement.
From interactive exhibitions to live demonstrations, participants were able to explore tools designed to address real-world challenges; from governance and entrepreneurship to service delivery and inclusion. For many attendees, it was their first opportunity to experience digital solutions in a hands-on, accessible way.
Conversations Rooted in Reality
While practical engagement was central to the fair, the Digital Community Fair also created space for meaningful dialogue. Panel discussions and keynote sessions explored digital transformation through the lens of local realities, focusing on how technology can support governance, economic participation, and everyday life in Northern Nigeria.
These conversations were grounded, relevant, and forward-looking. The presence of key stakeholders, including the First Ladies of Katsina and Jigawa States, underscored growing policy interest in digital development and reinforced the importance of inclusive, community-driven approaches. Rather than abstract debates, the discussions connected policy ideas directly to people’s lived experiences.
Inclusion by Design
One of the most defining features of the Digital Community Fair was its intentional approach to inclusion. The second day of the event was dedicated as a women-only engagement space, creating a safe and supportive environment where women could learn, ask questions, and interact freely with digital tools and solutions.
The fair also actively included Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), reinforcing the principle that digital transformation must be accessible to all. This deliberate focus ensured that participation was not limited by gender, ability, or social barriers.
Inclusion was not treated as an add-on; it was embedded into the structure of the event itself.
Showing, Not Telling
What truly set the Digital Community Fair apart was its show-not-tell approach. Rather than explaining the potential of digital solutions, the fair allowed people to experience that potential firsthand.
Through exhibitions, live interactions, tech trivia sessions, and open engagement, technology became less intimidating and more usable. Abstract ideas were transformed into tangible possibilities, and curiosity turned into understanding.
For many participants, the fair marked a shift, from seeing technology as distant or complex, to seeing it as something practical, relevant, and within reach.
Why the Digital Community Fair Mattered
The Digital Community Fair arrived at a critical moment for Northern Nigeria, where accessible pathways into the digital economy are increasingly essential. By combining scale, inclusion, and hands-on engagement, the fair demonstrated what is possible when digital adoption is approached with intention and empathy. More than an event, DCF became a meeting point; where policy met people, where innovation met real needs, and where curiosity met opportunity.
Looking Ahead
As conversations around digital transformation continue to grow, the Digital Community Fair offers an important reminder: meaningful adoption happens when people are actively included in the process. By bringing technology closer to communities, Blue Sapphire Hub continues to shape a more inclusive, participatory digital future, one where solutions are not just designed for communities, but experienced by them.
The Digital Community Fair was not just held in Northern Nigeria.
It was built for it.
