By Nkem Fab-Ukozor

Discourse on gender and digital literacy represents a critical, yet often overlooked, pathway to Nigeria’s sustainable development, aligning directly with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

Within this framework, gender equality emerges not only as a normative ideal but as a strategic imperative for sustainable development. Its pursuit extends beyond the recognition of human rights to its instrumental value in fostering inclusive growth and social transformation. In the context of digital literacy, ensuring equitable access and participation empowers individuals—particularly women and marginalized groups—to contribute meaningfully to economic, social, and technological advancement.

When opportunities are distributed equitably, societies benefit from a broader pool of talents and ideas, cultivated within an atmosphere of peace and justice. Thus, advancing gender equality alongside digital inclusion, quality education, decent work, and reduced inequalities is not only desirable but essential for building a resilient and sustainable future.

Hence, it is not surprising that development issues including communication rights, social justice, and gender equality have in recent times topped the agenda of discourses in national and international fora.

This is as it concerns the oppressive conditions faced by women and girls in many parts of the world, particularly the emerging democracies of Africa and, indeed, Nigeria. Women’s voices are suppressed, silenced and controlled by discriminatory practices, and by implicit social attitudes, cultural norms and patriarchal values in real life situations. Such are not different in mainstream and digital media spaces.

In today’s Nigeria, however, digital technology is no longer a luxury—it is fast becoming the oxygen of daily life. From students downloading lecture notes in Owerri to traders in Lagos advertising goods on WhatsApp, and from job seekers in Abuja filling online applications to farmers in Benue checking weather updates, digital platforms are quietly shaping how we live, learn, and earn.

Yet, beneath this visible progress lies a quieter, more troubling reality: not everyone is advancing at the same pace. In many Nigerian communities, women and girls still remain at the margins of the digital revolution. While the majority face exclusion due to limited digital literacy and economic constraints, others are further hindered by online and ICT-facilitated forms of violence against women.

Across urban centres and rural villages alike, a persistent gender gap in digital literacy continues to widen. The typical Nigerian boy is more likely to own a smartphone, experiment with apps, and explore online opportunities than his female counterpart. Meanwhile, many girls, especially in underserved communities, are still negotiating access, permission, and confidence in using digital tools. This is not just a technology gap; it is a development crisis.

Digital literacy today goes far beyond knowing how to press buttons on a phone. It involves the ability to search for information, verify what is true, create content, communicate effectively, and use digital tools for problem-solving. In practical terms, it is the difference between a woman who merely owns a phone and one who uses that phone to transform her livelihood.

Consider the everyday Nigerian woman: the okpa seller in Ninth Mile corner, at Udi in Enugu who could attract more customers through WhatsApp status updates; the fashion designer in Aba, or fabric seller in Onitsha who could reach international buyers via Instagram; the female undergraduate in Nsukka who depends on classmates to submit online assignments because she lacks digital skills; or the NYSC corps member posted to a rural community who struggles to access online teaching resources due to poor connectivity and limited exposure. For these women, digital literacy is not abstract, it is power. It is the gateway to visibility, opportunity, and independence.

So why does this gap persist? Part of the answer lies in deeply embedded cultural attitudes. In some households, investment in education and technology still tilts in favour of boys. A son is given a laptop “because he needs it,” while a daughter is told to “manage with what is available.” In subtle ways, society continues to frame technology as a male domain.

Economic realities reinforce this divide. In a country where many families must make hard financial choices, digital devices are often treated as scarce resources. When there is only enough money for one smartphone, it is frequently placed in the hands of the male child.
T hen there is the issue of infrastructure. In many rural parts of Nigeria—from riverine communities in the Niger Delta to agrarian settlements in the North—poor electricity supply, weak internet signals, and high data costs make digital access difficult for everyone, but disproportionately harder for women.

Equally important is the growing concern over online safety. Many Nigerian women hesitate to fully engage in digital spaces due to fears of harassment, scams, and cyberbullying. For a young woman who has witnessed or experienced online abuse, the internet can feel less like a space of opportunity and more like a zone of vulnerability.

But the cost of this exclusion is too high to ignore. Nigeria’s ambition for sustainable development—one that is inclusive, innovative, and resilient—cannot be realised if half of its population remains digitally sidelined. The vision of economic diversification, youth empowerment, and global competitiveness depends heavily on digital participation. When women are excluded, the nation loses not only talent but also productivity, creativity, and social balance.

Take small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), for instance. Women make up a significant proportion of Nigeria’s informal economy, dominating sectors like food processing, petty trading, and tailoring. With the right digital skills, many of these businesses could scale beyond physical markets into online spaces, reaching customers far beyond their immediate environment. Without those skills, they remain trapped in low-income cycles.

Similarly, in education, the shift toward e-learning—accelerated by events like the COVID-19 pandemic, has exposed digital inequalities. Female students without access or skills are more likely to fall behind, reinforcing existing gender disparities in academic and professional outcomes.

The implications extend to governance as well. A digitally excluded woman is less likely to access information about government programmes, less able to participate in online civic discussions, and less visible in digital advocacy spaces that increasingly shape public opinion.

Encouragingly, Nigeria is not without hope. Across the country, there are emerging efforts to bridge this divide. Tech hubs in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt are training young women in coding and digital entrepreneurship. NGOs are introducing girls in secondary schools to basic ICT skills. Some state governments are rolling out digital inclusion programmes, and private sector actors are expanding internet infrastructure. Worthy of mention is the Blogshop initiative, which is a storytelling and social platform that also serves as a digital media laboratory. It is an amazing platform that demonstrates how digital literacy can move beyond theory into practice by giving users, especially young women, opportunities to write, publish, participate, and build visible digital identities. It is important to note that many students of some Faculties of Communication and Media Studies in Nigeria are currently benefitting from this initiative.

Yet, these efforts often lack the depth and intentionality required to address gender disparities at scale. Bridging the gender digital divide in Nigeria requires more than good intentions—it demands deliberate action. Policies must move beyond generic digital expansion to explicitly prioritise women and girls. Educational curricula should integrate digital literacy from early stages, ensuring that girls grow up not just as users of technology but as confident digital participants.

Community leaders, parents, and religious institutions must begin to challenge the notion that digital empowerment threatens cultural values, and instead embrace it as a tool for collective advancement.

Equally critical is the creation of safe digital spaces. Addressing online harassment through stronger regulations, awareness campaigns, and support systems will encourage more women to engage confidently online.

At its core, the issue is simple: when Nigerian women are digitally empowered, the ripple effects are transformative. Families become more informed, businesses become more profitable, and communities become more connected.

Nigeria stands at a defining moment. The digital future is already unfolding—but whether that future is inclusive or unequal depends on the choices being made today. Bridging the gender gap in digital literacy is not merely a question of fairness. It is a strategic necessity for national development. The real question, then, is not whether Nigeria can afford to invest in women’s digital literacy. It is whether it can afford not to.

Professor Fab-Ukozor is the Dean, Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, and founder of the Media and Gender Enlightenment Initiative (MEGEIN). She is a media and communication scholar with interests in media education, gender advocacy and social development.