FG Targets 95% Digital Literacy, Fibre Connectivity In 774 LGAs
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FG Targets 95% Digital Literacy, Fibre Connectivity In 774 LGAs
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The Federal Government has unveiled plans to expand digital infrastructure across Nigeria, targeting 95 per cent digital literacy by 2030 and extending fibre-optic connectivity to all 774 local government areas.
The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, disclosed this at the Global Tech Africa event in Kano, with the theme, “Connecting Africa, Accelerating Growth.”
Inuwa said the initiatives were part of President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy through investments in human capital development, broadband infrastructure, innovation financing and emerging technologies.
He explained that the government was prioritising digital skills development as a foundation for economic transformation, citing the Three Million Technical Talent programme and the Digital Literacy for All initiative as key interventions.
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According to him, the 3MTT programme is designed to develop a skilled technology workforce, while DL4ALL seeks to equip Nigerians with essential digital competencies to participate effectively in the digital economy.
The NITDA boss added that the government was also integrating digital skills into the formal education system, from kindergarten to tertiary institutions, to prepare young Nigerians for opportunities in the global technology market.
He said the 95 per cent digital literacy target by 2030 was intended to ensure that citizens across communities and economic sectors could access and utilise digital services.
Inuwa maintained that digital transformation should extend beyond internet access and smartphone ownership to include technology adoption, improved productivity and economic growth.
He said digital tools should enable businesses, traders and individuals to reduce operational costs, improve efficiency, access wider markets and create economic opportunities.
On funding for technology startups, the NITDA director-general disclosed that the agency was collaborating with the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority to establish six funds to support innovative businesses.
He also identified the Bank of Industry and other development finance institutions as important sources of funding for technology entrepreneurs.
However, Inuwa called for greater private-sector investment in the innovation ecosystem, stressing that government funding alone could not sustain the growth of startups.
He said private investors could provide more than capital by bringing equity partnerships, corporate governance structures, business expertise and leadership needed to scale innovative enterprises.
On broadband infrastructure, the NITDA chief said the Federal Government was pursuing plans to extend fibre-optic networks across the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory and all 774 local government areas.
He said the expansion would be complemented by investments in domestic computing infrastructure through NITDA’s National Sovereign Cloud Initiative.
According to him, the initiative is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s digital sovereignty by ensuring that data generated within the country can be securely processed and stored locally.
Describing data centres as the refineries of the digital economy, Inuwa said they provide the computing infrastructure required to transform raw data into valuable products, services and economic opportunities.
He argued that Nigeria must develop the capacity to own and control critical digital infrastructure rather than depend heavily on foreign computing facilities.
He added that building such capacity would position Nigeria as a major computing hub for West and Central Africa.
Speaking on artificial intelligence, Inuwa expressed concern over Africa’s limited representation in the development of emerging technologies, noting that the continent accounts for less than two per cent of data used to train AI models.
He called for increased local participation in developing large language models and other artificial intelligence solutions that reflect Nigeria’s indigenous languages, cultures and socioeconomic realities.
The NITDA director-general also urged Kano to leverage digital technology, modern trade and the African Continental Free Trade Area to reclaim its historic position as a major commercial centre in the Sahel region.
He observed that the expansion of e-commerce had changed traditional trading patterns, allowing customers in neighbouring countries to purchase goods online without physically travelling to Kano.
However, he said the state could regain its commercial influence by deploying digital platforms to connect markets in North Africa and the Middle East with sub-Saharan Africa.
Inuwa maintained that strategic investments in digital infrastructure, local innovation and technology skills would be critical to positioning Nigeria as a leading digital economy on the continent.
