NITDA, Reps’ Spouses Partner on Digital Literacy Drive
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NITDA, Reps’ Spouses Partner on Digital Literacy Drive
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, has partnered the House of Representatives Spouses Association to organise a two-day digital literacy and capacity-building workshop for spouses of members of the House of Representatives.
The workshop, themed “Empowering Women for a Digital Future: Leadership, Wellbeing, and Opportunity,” is aimed at equipping participants with relevant skills to navigate the digital economy and better support their partners in public service.
Declaring the event open on behalf of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, said the initiative underscored the important role spouses play in strengthening legislative effectiveness.
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Kalu described spouses as close confidants whose understanding of parliamentary duties could enhance the performance of lawmakers.
He noted that the demands of legislative work often place pressure on family life, adding that digital and leadership skills would empower spouses to provide informed support and constructive feedback.
He urged participants to take full advantage of the training, stressing that continuous learning was critical in an increasingly digital world.
In his remarks, the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, said the programme aligned with the Federal Government’s agenda to build an inclusive digital economy.
According to him, the Renewed Hope Agenda of Bola Ahmed Tinubu places digital transformation at the centre of economic diversification and national growth.
Inuwa disclosed that the agency was implementing a National Digital Literacy Framework targeted at achieving 95 per cent digital literacy by 2030.
He said the framework focuses on integrating digital skills into formal education, upskilling public servants and expanding community-based digital inclusion initiatives.
He added that over 54,000 public servants were currently enrolled in NITDA’s digital literacy programmes, while community champions deployed across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory were reaching millions of Nigerians annually with foundational digital skills.
The NITDA boss described women as key drivers of digital transformation, noting that empowering spouses of lawmakers would strengthen leadership structures and positively influence governance outcomes, including efforts to digitise legislative processes.
In her goodwill message, the Leader of HORSA and wife of the Speaker, Fatima Tajudeen Abbas, described the workshop as the first comprehensive capacity-building initiative organised by the 10th Assembly for spouses of lawmakers.
She said the digital age had expanded public life beyond physical engagements to online platforms, making digital literacy, financial literacy, cybersecurity and mental wellbeing essential for spouses of public office holders.
Hajiya Abbas added that the sessions on emotional resilience, entrepreneurship and leadership were timely, noting that empowering women economically would strengthen families and communities.
Other dignitaries who delivered goodwill messages included the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim; the Chairperson of the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses’ Forum, Olufolake Abdulrazaq; the Chairman, House Committee on ICT, Stanley Olajide; the Chairperson, House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Kafilat Ogbara; and the Managing Director of the South-South Development Commission, Usoro Offiong Akpabio.
