The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has called for more deliberate inclusion of persons with disabilities in Nigeria’s digital empowerment and literacy programmes, highlighting the need to target the over 35 million Nigerians living with special needs.
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday during a courtesy visit by the Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), a disability advocacy group, NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, said the agency will redesign its programmes to ensure that no one is left behind in the country’s push toward 95% digital literacy by 2030.
“There is no way we can achieve 95 per cent digital inclusion if we exclude 35 million Nigerians,” Inuwa said.
Targeted training
He noted that while NITDA has previously conducted targeted training for persons with disabilities in select locations, the agency is now expanding these efforts nationwide.
- This, he said, aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda on inclusive economic growth and reforms.
- Inuwa proposed that members of the disability community be represented in national ICT committees involved in policymaking, curriculum development, and standards setting.
- According to him, such representation will ensure that inclusion goes beyond rhetoric and bureaucratic delays.
- He also recommended integrating disability-focused digital programmes into broader national initiatives like the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) tech programmes, women-focused tech training cohorts, and other key ICT activities.
“For us, it’s beyond just training. The real goal is empowerment, how we can train people to use IT to expand their businesses and improve their lives,” he added.
The NITDA boss reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to working with disability-focused organisations and invited them to collaborate in building a more inclusive digital economy.
Closing the digital gap
In her remarks, IFA Executive Director, Grace Jerry, thanked NITDA for the engagement and emphasized the urgency of closing the digital gap for persons with disabilities.
“Digital literacy is fast becoming a foundational skill for employment, and without deliberate inclusion, millions will be left behind,” Jerry said.
She stressed that the government’s goal of achieving 95% digital literacy by 2030 will only be attainable if all demographic groups are represented, especially those most at risk of exclusion.
What you should know
Nairametrics earlier reported that NITDA recently rolled out its flagship Digital Literacy for All Initiative (DL4ALL) across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
- This followed a successful pilot phase that trained 152,790 Nigerians across 12 states, The nationwide launch sets an ambitious target to equip 70% of Nigerians with digital skills by 2027, and 95% by 2030.
- According to the agency, DL4ALL is not just another tech programme, it is being positioned as a national movement for digital empowerment, aimed at bridging critical gaps in education, employment, financial access, and online safety.
