The federal government has introduced the *Digital Literacy for All* initiative, aimed at closing the digital divide in Nigeria.
This initiative was launched in Minna on Saturday, with Kashifu Abdullahi, Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), leading the announcement.
Abdullahi emphasized the initiative’s role in advancing Nigeria’s economic diversification, as well as boosting productivity in agriculture, education, and healthcare.
He stated, “The president directed the ministry to ensure that every Nigerian is digitally included and digitally literate.”
To achieve this, NITDA developed a national digital literacy framework with a goal of reaching 95% digital literacy by 2030. Abdullahi added that the government is targeting 70% digital literacy by 2027, explaining that the initiative focuses on six key competency areas.
Abdullahi highlighted NITDA’s partnership with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), which will involve training 80 corps members in each of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas as digital literacy champions. “These corps members will be trained on digital literacy and will, in turn, train other Nigerians,” he said, noting that the initiative aims to train over 30 million Nigerians by 2027, particularly those from the informal sector.
Governor Umaru Bago of Niger State commended the collaboration between NITDA, the NYSC, and state governments in promoting digital literacy. He stressed, “The digital path is the way forward,” and highlighted Niger State’s ambition to raise its digital literacy rate to 75%. Bago also revealed plans for a major digital innovation program in partnership with Cambridge University and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), adding, “We are about to launch a major digital innovation programme in Nigeria.”
Brigadier-General Yusha’u Ahmed, Director General of the NYSC, reiterated the goal to train 30 million Nigerians, particularly in rural areas and the informal sector, on digital literacy.
