The Federal Government has restated its determination to achieve 95% digital literacy across Nigeria by 2030, with a significant milestone of 70% set for 2027.
Speaking during a recent strategic engagement with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, said the digital push is key to Nigeria’s economic reform and national development.
“This is not a journey we can walk alone,” Inuwa emphasized. “We must bring everyone on board—educators, tech providers, state governments and international partners.”
According to him, President Bola Tinubu’s administration has made digital transformation and economic diversification a priority. As part of this, NITDA has developed a National Digital Literacy Framework (NDLF) to ensure every Nigerian (from pupils in primary school to professionals) has access to digital skills.
The framework includes six key areas: device operations, data literacy, communication, content creation, digital safety, and problem-solving. It caters to all learning levels—basic, intermediate, and advanced.
Inuwa shared that Nigeria’s current digital literacy stands at 50%, a rise from 44% in 2021. He credited partnerships with the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), as well as Coursera and CISCO, for helping to scale digital learning and teacher training nationwide.
UBEC Executive Secretary, Hajiya Aisha Garba, acknowledged the government’s efforts, confirming that the Commission has received the digital literacy curriculum from NITDA and NERDC. She, however, called for its simplification for early learners, pointing out existing challenges like curriculum overload, teacher shortages, and poor infrastructure.
“We need to align the technical vision with grassroots realities,” she said. “We will work with State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEB) to equip schools with computers and solar-powered tools to support learning.”
To put the plans in motion, both agencies have set up a joint committee to ensure smooth implementation and measurable progress.
