THE Federal Government has unveiled an ambitious plan to achieve 95 per cent digital literacy across Nigeria by the year 2030, with a short-term target of training and digitally empowering 30 million citizens by 2027.
News Point Nigeria reports that the announcement was made by the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Abdullahi, represented by the agency’s Director of Stakeholder Management, Aristotle Onumo, at the Grand Finale of the Tech4Dev Digital for All Challenge 2.0 in Abuja.
Abdullahi described the initiative as a key pillar of President Bola Tinubu’s vision to build a digital-first economy, stressing that Nigeria cannot afford to lag behind in the fourth industrial revolution.
“Our aim is to ensure that 95 per cent of Nigerians are digitally literate by 2030. By 2027, we want to see 30 million Nigerians trained and empowered to compete in the global digital economy. We cannot do this alone, which is why we are leveraging strategic partnerships,” he said.
He explained that NITDA has partnered with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to deploy Digital Literacy Champions to every local government area in the country.
“Currently, every local government area has at least one champion training citizens, and our online portal gives real-time data on the number of Nigerians trained so far,” he added.
In a major milestone, NITDA, working with the Federal Ministry of Education, has integrated digital literacy into Nigeria’s national curriculum from primary to tertiary levels.
“At Nasarawa State University, for example, students are now Cisco-certified in digital literacy by the end of their first year. This ensures that our graduates are job-ready and innovation-driven,” Abdullahi said.
He also revealed that civil servants are not left out, noting that digital literacy is now a mandatory requirement for promotion examinations.
“This is another step towards building a competent, efficient, and technology-driven public service,” he said.
Abdullahi praised Tech4Dev for collaborating with government to democratise access to technology, describing digital skills as “the new currency of the 21st century.”
“With the right digital skills, we are laying the foundation for innovation, job creation, and sustainable prosperity. This is not just a competition but a transformation,” he remarked.
The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, reaffirmed government’s commitment to digital empowerment as a tool for national development and urged Nigerian youths to seize such opportunities.
Similarly, Idongesit Udoh, the UK International Development Digital Access Programme Adviser and Africa Cyber Programme Country Lead, hailed the initiative as a landmark project.
“Skills, connectivity and trust are the foundation of a modern digital economy, and this project has advanced all three. It ensures that no Nigerian is left behind,” Udoh said.
Co-founder of Tech4Dev, Oladiwura Oladepo, revealed that the programme has impacted over one million Nigerians, reaching participants across all six geopolitical zones through training, mentorship, and competitions.
Abdullahi urged Nigerians to embrace digital skills as a pathway to innovation and national prosperity, stressing that the future of work and governance is digital.
“The future is not something we wait for; it is something we create through knowledge, courage and collaboration,” he concluded.