Digital Literacy: NITDA, HORSA partner on capacity building for lawmakers’ spouses

*The National Information Technology Development Agency partners with the Nigerian House of Representatives Spouses Association to equip the latter with the tools needed to navigate the modern digital economy and unique demands of public life

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has partnered with the Nigerian House of Representatives Spouses’ Association (HORSA) in a strategic move to broaden the West African country’s digital space.

The two organisations struck the collaboration at a specialised two-day digital literacy and capacity building workshop the NITDA organised for the spouses of members of the House of Representatives, in the National Assembly (NASS), Abuja, FCT.

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ConsumerConnect reports NITDA disclosed the initiative with the theme: “Empowering Women for a Digital Future: Leadership, Wellbeing, and Opportunity”, was designed to equip spouses of lawmakers with the tools needed to navigate the modern digital economy and the unique demands of public life.

According to the Information Technology (IT) sector regulatory agency, beyond basic computer literacy, the workshop also offers a comprehensive suite of skills.

NITDA noted these include financial and digital literacy—focused on using digital tools for business growth and personal finance management.

Such needed skills also include cybersecurity and digital wellbeing—promoting online safety, data protection, and mental health resilience; and economic empowerment—unlocking opportunities in remote work, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), and digital entrepreneurship, said the agency.

Spouses play crucial role supporting public office holders, by Rt. Hon. Abbas

Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, declaring the workshop open on behalf of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, PhD, said the workshop underscored the crucial role spouses play in supporting public office holders.

Abbas described spouses as trusted advisers whose understanding of legislative responsibilities helps lawmakers to perform more effectively.

The Speaker also acknowledged that the demanding nature of legislative work often places strain on family life.

The Federal legislator said that empowering spouses with digital and leadership skills would strengthen their capacity to provide informed support and constructive feedback to their partners in public service.

Abbas, therefore, urged participants to take full advantage of the training.

He emphasised that continuous learning is essential in an increasingly digital world.

Kalu further observed that many spouses already lead humanitarian and development initiatives in their communities, and that the skills gained from the programme would enhance communication, strategic planning, and resource mobilisation, thereby deepening their contribution to community development and national growth.

Inuwa: NITDA committed to building sustainable digital economy

Earlier, in his welcome address to the workshop, Dr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, Director-General of NITDA, had said the initiative aligned with the Federal Government’s drive to build a sustainable digital economy by ensuring that no group is excluded from digital opportunities due to skills gaps.

Inuwa affirmed that the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu places digitalisation and innovation at the heart of economic diversification and inclusive growth.

The NITDA Chief Executive disclosed the agency is implementing a national digital literacy framework.

According to him, the initiative is aimed at achieving 95 percent digital literacy by 2030, driven through three key focus areas.

These are, integrating digital skills into formal education, upskilling public servants, and expanding community level digital inclusion.

Inuwa also described women as critical drivers of Nigeria’s digital transformation.

He further noted that empowering spouses of Federal lawmakers with digital skills would strengthen leadership at home, and positively influence legislative processes at the National Assembly.

Inuwa as well explained that NITDA is working with the Federal Ministry of Education and global technology partners to train teachers nationwide, while over 54,000 public servants are currently enrolled in the Agency’s digital literacy programmes.

Through community champions deployed across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, he stated, millions of Nigerians are being reached annually with basic digital skills training.

He stressed that national leaders must not be left behind in Nigeria’s digital transition.

According to him, digitally literate spouses can play a vital role in encouraging technology driven governance, including ongoing efforts to digitise legislative processes.

In her goodwill message, Hajiya Fatima Tajudeen Abbas, Leader of HORSA and wife of the Speaker, House of Representatives, described the workshop as a historic milestone and the first comprehensive capacity building programme organised by the 10th Assembly for spouses of lawmakers.

Hajiya Abbas noted that public life in a digital age now extends beyond physical spaces into online platforms, making digital and financial literacy, cyber protection, and digital wellbeing essential skills for spouses of national leaders.

She emphasised that the sessions on mental health, emotional resilience, entrepreneurship, and leadership were timely, as spouses of public office holders often shoulder invisible emotional responsibilities.

Empowering women economically, she said, strengthens families and communities.

Hajiya Abbas explained that the knowledge gained from the workshop would not only support lawmakers behind the scenes but also enable women to contribute more meaningfully to national development in the emerging Nigeria Digital Economy.

The agency said event as well featured goodwill messages and contributions from senior government officials, including the Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; Honourable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim; the Chairperson of the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses’ Forum, Prof. (Mrs.) Olufolake Abdulrazaq; the Chairman of the House Committee on ICT, Hon. Stanley Olajide.

Other dignitaries included the Chairperson of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Kafilat Ogbara; and the Managing Director of the South-South Development Commission, Usoro Offiong Akpabio.

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