FG launches digital literacy for all to accelerate economic growth

As part of Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda to achieve 95 per cent digital literacy by 2030, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has launched a special project themed “Digital Literacy for All” (DL4ALL).

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) have affirmed the importance of digital literacy in accelerating economic and technological growth in Nigeria.

The governor and NITDA Director General, Mr Kashifu Abdullahi, made this known at the inauguration ceremony of the Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL) Initiative, held at Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK) in Keffi local government area of the state yesterday.

The Guardian reports that the DL4ALL Initiative is a collaboration between NITDA and CISCO.

According to the NITDA boss, it is a program designed for students of Nigerian tertiary institutions and the workforce, strategically anchored on the National Digital Literacy Framework launched in July 2023.

The DG NITDA said the administration of President Bola Tinubu is intentional about digital transformation and diversifying the economy through technological innovations, hence the goal to achieve 95 per cent digital literacy by 2030.

“The president is loud and clear when it comes to reforming the economy for sustained and inclusive growth, which can only be achieved through digital literacy, skills, and talent.

“In the world we live in today, digital is a lifestyle. Therefore, digital literacy is no longer optional but a necessity, as it is needed for everything we do today.

“That is why we developed the National Digital Literacy Framework with an ambitious target to achieve 95 per cent digital literacy by 2030, but the president set a mid-term target for us to achieve 70 per cent by 2027,” he said.

He stated that NITDA’s partnership with the university aims to ensure that students graduate as digitally literate, with strong digital fluency.

“You can see that if you have digital skills, you don’t need to look for jobs. All you need is to have the skills and try to stand out. When you get noticed, try to be different and creative so the sky can be your starting point.

“I believe in what we are launching today, and we are going to open a new chapter in Nigeria where we can embed digital skills into our formal education.

“We believe that if we embed digital literacy into formal education, by 2027, we will train more than 15 million students in the Nigerian formal education sector,” he said.

He further stated that the move to entrench digital literacy among university students and across the country to meet global technological advancements would significantly accelerate economic and technological growth in the country.

“With the way the world is going, we need Information and Communication Technology in all our daily activities, which is why NITDA is introducing this innovative initiative.

“We need this because everything is digitalized now. We really need it now because if we don’t key in now, we will have no time to key in,” he said.

He said digital literacy will spur technological advancements, especially among Nigerian youth, which in turn will lead to accelerated economic growth, hence his administration’s support for the initiative.

Governor Sule expressed gratitude to NITDA for selecting Nasarawa State as the first of the higher institutions to kickstart the digital literacy program.

In her opening remarks, Prof. Sa’adatu Liman, Vice Chancellor of NSUK, said the partnership between the university and NITDA in launching the digital literacy program into the university curriculum is a positive step.

“This partnership represents a step toward equipping our students with the essential digital skills and knowledge needed to thrive in the 21st-century global landscape,” she said.