In commemoration of this year’s World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) 2025, the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO) has stressed the need for accelerated action to bridge the nation’s digital gender divide, insisting inclusive digital transformation is important for sustainable national development.
   
In a statement, the Executive Director of CEMESO, Akin Akingbulu, also advocated proactive interventions, particularly in addressing persistent barriers that significantly restrict digital access and participation for women and girls across the country.
   
Current data indicate that merely 20 per cent of Nigerian women use the Internet compared to over 37 per cent of men. This gap widens significantly in rural communities, where digital opportunities could profoundly impact agriculture, healthcare, and education. Moreover, affordability, literacy, and online safety concerns exacerbate this digital exclusion.
   
To Akingbulu, “a nation cannot leap into the digital future while leaving half its population behind. Gender equality in digital access and participation is not a luxury—it is an imperative for development, democracy, and good governance.”
   
Akingbulu identified gaps such as exorbitant data costs disproportionately excluding women; safety and Online Gender-Based Violence; digital literacy and education; exclusion in critical sectors such as underserved and underrepresented in digital innovations within agriculture, healthcare, and financial technology sectors.
   
To effectively address these challenges, CEMESO canvassed support for legislative efforts advocating for fair Internet pricing and reducing broadband deployment costs; implementation of the National Gender Digital Inclusion Strategy (NGDIS), reinforced by clear timelines, budgets, and rigorous performance monitoring; expansion of community Wi-Fi and subsidised digital devices targeting women-led cooperatives, markets, and rural communities.
   
Other solutions include localisation of digital skills training programmes through community radio, local language platforms, and mobile outreach units to ensure widespread accessibility; mainstreaming of digital safety education to mitigate online harassment and gender-based violence; enhanced support for women-led innovations and entrepreneurship by fostering partnerships between financial institutions and women entrepreneurs in agri-tech, e-commerce, and health-tech sectors.
   
Saying the media plays a pivotal role in shaping societal norms and influencing policy changes. Akingbulu urged members of the fourth estate of the realm to proactively amplify positive narratives of women succeeding through technology, diligently report on gaps in digital policies and funding, and rigorously hold stakeholders accountable for commitments made toward inclusive ICT policies.
   
In conclusion, he stated, “Digital transformation can only be genuinely transformative when it embraces and empowers all citizens, particularly women. On this WTISD, we reiterate our collective responsibility towards ensuring that digital equality becomes integral to Nigeria’s growth and prosperity.”