The Reality Behind Nigeria’s 2027 Digital Literacy Ambition
Nigeria’s ambition to achieve 70% digital literacy by 2027, spearheaded by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), faces a significant hurdle: a current adult basic literacy rate of just 63.1%. This means a considerable portion of the adult population lacks fundamental reading and writing skills, which are foundational for digital adoption. NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa emphasized the critical role of digital technology as an enabler for inclusive growth, highlighting its pervasive influence across all sectors.
Bridging the Digital Literacy Gap
NITDA is actively pursuing strategies to bridge this gap. The 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme has already trained over 350,000 individuals. Future plans involve integrating digital skills training into the education system, from kindergarten to tertiary levels, through collaborations with the Ministry of Education and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). This proactive approach aims to embed digital competency early on. Complementing this, ambitious broadband infrastructure projects are underway, including deploying 90,000 km of fibre optic cable and establishing digital hubs in every state to connect underserved communities. These initiatives will provide the necessary infrastructure for digital literacy to flourish.
While the 2027 target is ambitious given the existing literacy challenges, NITDA’s multifaceted approach, combining skills training with infrastructural development, demonstrates a commitment to fostering a digitally inclusive Nigeria. The success of this plan will hinge on effective implementation and continued investment in both digital literacy programs and nationwide connectivity.
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