NITDA, DAWN Commission Partner to Boost Digital Literacy in South-West
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NITDA, DAWN Commission Partner to Boost Digital Literacy in South-West
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria Commission, DAWN Commission to accelerate digital literacy, innovation development, and economic growth across the South-West region.
Speaking during the signing ceremony in Abuja, the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, described the partnership as a major step towards strengthening human capital development and promoting regional collaboration for sustainable national growth.
Inuwa commended the South-West states for their culture of cooperation, noting that collective action remained critical to Nigeria’s development.
“The South-West continues to inspire when it comes to collaboration because no one succeeds in isolation. Other regions can learn from this model of cooperation. For Nigeria to grow, we must understand our strengths at both the state and regional levels and build on them,” he said.
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The NITDA boss stressed that Nigeria’s greatest asset was its people, adding that investment in digital skills, innovation and technology would unlock economic opportunities and drive prosperity.
According to him, the partnership will promote knowledge sharing, capacity building and innovation-driven programmes aimed at empowering citizens to develop solutions with both national and global relevance.
He noted that NITDA had continued to expand digital literacy programmes, support innovation hubs and drive technology development across the country as part of efforts to deepen digital transformation.
Inuwa said every region possessed unique strengths that could be harnessed to build thriving innovation ecosystems.
“Lagos has already established itself as a fintech hub and the commercial centre of the country. Abuja is emerging as a GovTech cluster, while other regions can develop specialised ecosystems around manufacturing, commerce and other sectors. Every region possesses unique strengths that can be transformed into thriving innovation clusters,” he said.
He expressed confidence that the collaboration would accelerate the implementation of NITDA’s strategic initiatives across the South-West, adding that both organisations had already commenced engagements before formalising the agreement.
“We are excited about this partnership and look forward to translating our shared vision into tangible outcomes. While engagements have already commenced, I would like to see even greater momentum after the signing of this MoU,” Inuwa added.
In his remarks, the Director-General of the DAWN Commission, Seye Oyeleye, described digital literacy as critical to preparing citizens for future opportunities and ensuring meaningful participation in the digital economy.
Oyeleye said the commission, which coordinates development initiatives across Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states, viewed the partnership as a strategic platform for advancing Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda.
He noted that Nigeria’s target of equipping 100 million citizens with digital skills by 2030 under the Digital Literacy for All Initiative would require strong contributions from the South-West region.
“Nigeria has committed to equipping 100 million citizens with digital skills by 2030. South-West Nigeria is not merely a contributor to that vision; it is central to its success,” he said.
According to him, the MoU formalises a shared commitment to implementing NITDA’s programmes, particularly the National Digital Literacy Framework, across the region.
He added that the commission would leverage its network across the six South-West states to connect federal digital initiatives with communities, institutions and young people.
“We will work to ensure that NITDA’s frameworks are not only implemented but strengthened. Our reach across the South-West positions us to connect federal digital infrastructure and programmes with communities and young people who require the skills needed to thrive in the digital economy,” Oyeleye said.
He assured NITDA of the commission’s commitment to delivering measurable results throughout the five-year duration of the agreement, stressing that the success of development institutions should be measured by their impact rather than the agreements they sign.
