95% Digital Literacy by 2030 is Our Goal — NITDA DG
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to achieving 95% digital literacy across Nigeria by the year 2030, with an ambitious milestone of 70% by 2027.
This was disclosed by the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, during a collaborative meeting hosted by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
Inuwa noted that the government’s strategic prioritisation of human capital development is central to its national transformation agenda.
He stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has made economic diversification and inclusivity part of its agenda, with priority number 7 specifically focused on accelerating industrialisation, digitisation, creative arts, manufacturing, and innovation.
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The NITDA DG highlighted the importance of digital fluency in achieving this agenda, stating that the agency is committed to investing in the digital empowerment of citizens through the development of the National Digital Literacy Framework (NDLF).
He added that the framework would address all levels of digital fluency, from basic to advanced levels, to make digital skills accessible to every Nigerian.
According to Inuwa, Nigeria’s digital literacy rate currently stands at 50%, up from 44% in 2021, based on extrapolations from the World Bank’s Better Life Report. He disclosed that NITDA has been working closely with the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) in developing a curriculum for digital literacy, which can be infused into formal education.
The NITDA DG also revealed ongoing collaborations with global platforms such as Coursera to train teachers using AI-powered lesson generation tools and provide scalable online training.
He stressed that the entire process, from curriculum development to classroom delivery, would require a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.
In response to the DG’s remarks, UBEC Executive Secretary, Hajiya Aisha Garba, confirmed that the Commission has officially received the digital literacy curriculum developed by NITDA and NERDC and has commenced internal review processes.
She acknowledged the curriculum as robust and forward-looking but stressed the need for simplification to suit early learners and teachers.
A joint inter-agency committee was established to develop strategic plans that will ensure the effective rollout of the digital literacy initiative, to equip young Nigerians with the essential digital skills required to thrive in an increasingly dynamic and technology-driven global landscape.
