Nigeria’s Digital Divide: Exploring the Mobile Gender Gap
The digital landscape in Nigeria, like many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), reveals a significant gender gap. This disparity is further highlighted by the fact that 27% of Nigerian women who own smartphones do not utilize the internet. This situation mirrors a broader trend across LMICs where a considerable percentage of women are excluded from fully participating in the digital world. In Sub-Saharan Africa, over a third of women face this challenge.
Understanding the Barriers to Mobile Internet Adoption in Nigeria
A recent study by GSMA shed light on the mobile internet usage patterns of women in LMICs. It highlighted that women, particularly in rural areas and those with lower educational attainment, tend to reduce their mobile internet usage. The research pointed out that women generally utilize their mobile phones for a narrower range of activities and access the internet less frequently compared to men. While 81% of women in LMICs now own a mobile phone compared to 87% of men, the gap in internet usage widens significantly. The GSMA report also emphasized that the 440 million women across LMICs who don’t own a mobile phone are proving difficult to reach. This digital divide is a major issue for Nigeria, hindering progress towards digital inclusion and limiting women’s access to crucial information, opportunities, and services.
In conclusion, addressing Nigeria’s mobile gender gap is essential for fostering inclusive development. Efforts to promote digital literacy, affordability, and relevant content are needed to empower women and ensure they can fully benefit from the transformative potential of the internet.
Keywords
Related Keywords: Nigeria mobile gender gap, female internet access Nigeria, smartphone usage women Nigeria, internet access inequality Nigeria, digital gender divide Nigeria, women and internet Nigeria, Nigerian women online access, mobile phone gender gap, smartphone adoption women, digital inclusion Nigeria
