NDLF: Stakeholders restate commitment to 70 percent digital literacy in Nigeria by 2027

*The National Information Technology Development Agency organises a stakeholders’ workshop to drive Digital Literacy initiative and design a collective roadmap to achieve 70 percent digital literacy by 2027 and 95 percent by 2030 in regard to the National Digital Literacy Framework

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

As part of efforts at forging a unified path for digital inclusion for all Nigerian consumers, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has successfully convened the inaugural Digital Literacy Stakeholders’ Workshop, in Abuja, FCT.

ConsumerConnect reports that NITDA organised the workshop with the theme, “Building Sustainable Partnerships and Pathways Towards Achieving 95% Digital Literacy Level by 2030”.

The two-day workshop also attracted representatives from the Nigerian Government agencies, private sector organisations, civil society groups, development partners, and academic institutions.

The Information Technology (IT) sector regulatory agency also emphasised the objective of the forum was to forge “a unified path towards digital inclusion for all Nigerians”.

Mrs. Hadiza Umar, Director of Corporate Communications and Media Relations at NITDA, also stated the workshop served as “a strategic platform for national collaboration, with the primary goal of strengthening partnerships, aligning strategies, and establishing robust data systems to track digital literacy across the country.”

The agency further said the stakeholders’ workshop sought to define a collective roadmap towards achieving 70 percent digital literacy by 2027 and 95 percent by 2030, as envisioned in the National Digital Literacy Framework (NDLF) launched in 2023.

Participants engaged in insightful discussions, focused on consolidating digital literacy efforts under the NDLF to avoid duplication and promote efficiency.

Key critical areas of stakeholders’ dialogue, by NITDA

According to NITDA, other critical areas of dialogue include the importance of stakeholder profiling to map ongoing efforts and foster strategic collaborations; and the role of innovation and technology in extending digital literacy to rural and underserved communities.

The agency also listed the urgent need for a unified data management system to track training outcomes and enhance policy decisions; and

a shared understanding that digital literacy must be mainstreamed into all facets of national life—education, business, governance, and community development.

Major resolutions and outcomes of workshop

NITDA disclosed the workshop concluded with several key resolutions and outcomes designed to drive progress in an inclusive and measurable manner.

These include enhanced collaboration, where all stakeholders committed to working more intentionally by pooling resources and aligning their initiatives for maximum impact.

On National Digital Literacy Data Framework, the stakeholders resolved to have a centralised data system to be hosted by NITDA, and to facilitate evidence-based planning and accountability.

Another key decision is focused on stakeholder categorisation, in which  participants were classified into three categories—Providers, Enablers, and Funders—to clarify roles and streamline engagement.

The agency further stated Inclusive Focus: Programmes will prioritise women, youth, persons with disabilities, and remote communities to ensure that no Nigerian is left behind;

Sustainability, in which emphasis was placed on developing scalable and long-term interventions rather than isolated, short-term projects.

In moving forward, workshop participants agreed to do the following:

• Establish a National Digital Literacy Technical Committee comprising representatives from all relevant sectors.
• Institutionalise the Digital Literacy Stakeholders Workshop as an annual event to sustain collaboration and review progress.
• Support and drive the full implementation of the National Digital Literacy Framework.
• Promote open data-sharing through a centralised NITDA platform to increase transparency and foster synergy.
• Design and deploy scalable digital literacy programmes tailored to Nigeria’s socio-cultural and economic realities.
• Convene regular follow-up sessions to track implementation, resolve challenges, and recalibrate strategies as necessary.

NITDA said the event underscored its commitment to delivering on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly on digital inclusion, economic empowerment, and national development.

The highlight of the event was the inauguration of a National Digital Literacy Working Group to provide technical oversight in the implementation of the digital literacy framework and workshop recommendation, it stated.

The agency disclosed the Committee would be chaired by David Daser, President of the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), and it consists of members across the digital literacy ecosystem in Nigeria.