Agency targets 95% digital literacy by 2030 as 2.77 million Nigerians benefit from reported training programmes

Chioma Vivian James

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has called for stronger partnerships among government institutions, academic establishments, technology companies and industry stakeholders to bridge Nigeria’s digital skills gap and position the country for sustainable economic growth.

The agency said a coordinated approach to digital skills development was essential to building a workforce capable of meeting the demands of an increasingly technology-driven economy.

NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, made the call during the MTN Breakfast Session, themed “When Transnationals Invest,” at the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit (NES32) in Abuja.

Inuwa expressed concern over the fragmented nature of digital skills initiatives and the disconnect between educational institutions, employers and the innovation ecosystem, noting that these challenges continued to limit the development of a skilled and productive workforce.

He urged universities and other educational institutions to redesign their training programmes to reflect current industry needs, stressing that graduates must possess practical competencies that would enable them to contribute meaningfully to the economy.

“Our human capital is our greatest national resource,” he said, underscoring the importance of investing in relevant education and skills development.

The NITDA chief clarified that the agency’s digital literacy drive was not intended to transform every Nigerian into an information technology professional. Rather, it seeks to equip citizens with essential digital skills that can improve workplace performance, increase productivity and create access to wider economic opportunities.

95% Digital Literacy Target

To advance this objective, NITDA has developed the National Digital Literacy Framework, which aims to achieve 95 per cent digital literacy nationwide by 2030, with an interim target of 70 per cent by 2027, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive.

Inuwa explained that meeting the targets would require sustained collaboration among public institutions, private organisations, technology providers and educational establishments.

As part of this strategy, the agency introduced the Digital Literacy for All initiative to expand access to digital education and strengthen skills acquisition across the country.

One of its major components is the integration of digital literacy into formal education, ensuring that learners acquire relevant technological competencies before entering the labour market.

Inuwa disclosed that NITDA had partnered with Nasarawa State University and Cisco to develop learning content based on the National Digital Literacy Framework.

The framework covers six competency areas across three proficiency levels: basic, intermediate and advanced. The agency is also reviewing the framework to incorporate artificial intelligence literacy in response to emerging technological developments.

Demonstrating progress towards institutionalising digital education, Nasarawa State University has integrated digital literacy into its General Studies curriculum, making it compulsory for students.

The initiative is expected to strengthen students’ digital capabilities and improve their readiness for employment and entrepreneurship in a rapidly changing technological environment.

2.77 Million Nigerians Trained

Beyond curriculum development and classroom instruction, NITDA is strengthening monitoring and accountability through its National Digital Literacy Dashboard.

The platform provides a central mechanism for tracking digital literacy interventions and documenting the contributions of organisations involved in expanding digital skills nationwide.

According to Inuwa, 252 organisations had reported their activities on the dashboard, documenting the training of approximately 2.77 million Nigerians between 2023 and October 2026.

The reported interventions covered all 774 local government areas and 14,664 communities, highlighting the geographical reach of the programmes captured on the platform.

He identified Cisco as the leading contributor to the reported training figures, noting that its educational platforms had been used to train more than 1.073 million Nigerians.

The NITDA director-general called on organisations implementing digital literacy programmes, including corporate foundations and companies operating through their corporate social responsibility initiatives, to document their activities on the dashboard.

He explained that comprehensive reporting would enable the agency to identify gaps, minimise duplication of interventions and improve the distribution of digital skills opportunities, particularly in underserved communities.

Beyond Training to Economic Impact

Inuwa emphasised that Nigeria’s digital transformation ambitions would require more than the delivery of training programmes, noting that the ultimate objective must be to translate acquired skills into measurable improvements in productivity, employment and national prosperity.

He urged industry players, educational institutions, innovators and other stakeholders to work together to identify emerging workforce requirements and align training programmes with the competencies employers need.

According to him, stronger collaboration would help bridge the gap between classroom learning and workplace demands while ensuring that investments in digital education produce tangible economic benefits.

He maintained that a coordinated digital skills ecosystem, supported by common standards, reliable data and shared national objectives, would be critical to building a digitally capable population.

As Nigeria pursues its digital economy ambitions, the agency’s message underscores the importance of collective action in preparing citizens for emerging opportunities in technology, innovation and the future of work.