The federal government has said that the digital divide is increasing inequalities in the country, especially in rural, hard-to-reach, and underserved communities.
It called for practical and scalable solutions to address the digital gap and ensure an inclusive future of work in Nigeria. Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Mohammed Abba Isa, made the call at the Technology and Employment Inclusion in Marginalised Contexts Roundtable organised by Jobberman Nigeria, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, under the Young Nigeria Works programme yesterday in Abuja.
Isa stated that displaced persons, though resilient, are often disconnected from digital resources, adding that young women in marginalised communities remained underrepresented in tech-driven spaces.
He emphasised the importance of building inclusive digital ecosystems that would provide equitable access to employment and economic dignity for all Nigerians; and advocated the full implementation of the minimum five per cent employment quota for PWDs in public institutions and also called for an urgent amendment to the National Disability Act to extend this quota to the private sector.
In his speech, Country Director, Mastercard Foundation Nigeria, Rosy Fynn, reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to inclusive economic growth, adding that the roundtable aligns with the organisation’s mission to enable 30 million young Africans, particularly young women, to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030.
Earlier, in his opening remarks, the CEO of The African Talent Company (TATC), the parent company of Jobberman, Hilda Kabushenga, stressed that technology must be a force for inclusion, not division, adding that as the world of work evolves, we must ensure that no one is left behind.
MEANWHILE, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has vowed to work with security agencies to arrest and prosecute vandals of Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) across Nigeria.
Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, who stated this during a media engagement yesterday in Abuja, warned that anyone found liable for damaging or disrupting CNII would be prosecuted.
Maida explained that Critical National Information Infrastructure refers to essential computer systems, networks and communication infrastructures, whose disruption or destruction would have a significant negative impact on the nation’s economy, security, public health, or general safety.
Represented by the Deputy Director and Head, Corporate Communications Management, Public Affairs Department, Mrs Nnena Ukoha, he noted that the Critical National Information Infrastructure Act has provisions for prosecution, adding that operationalisation of the Act falls under the purview of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
