FG to Ensure 30m Nigerians are Digitally Literate By 2027
Laleye Dipo in Minna
The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has disclosed that the federal government has completed plans to ensure not less than 30million Nigerians are digitally literate by 2027.
He said the government was also proposing digital literacy as a course in formal institutions in the country from next year as part of steps to meet the target.
Speaking at the flag off of the Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL) in Minna, Niger State at the weekend the director-general said: “To accelerate the diversification of the national economy, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed that the organisation should ensure Nigerians are digitally literate by the target date.
“By 2027, we should be able to attain 70 percent digital literacy that can aid our people. We want all Nigerians to develop in competency areas, like how to protect data and then focus on content creation.
“Through the DL4ALL, Nigerians will be able to surf safe online and be able to do problem solving by doing simple trouble shooting.”
“We are targeting 30 million Nigerians who will attain 70 percent digital literacy by 2027. In every state, we will have 80 NYSC members to be trained as champions who can in turn train our senior citizens.”
Abdullahi said the plan include the 80 NYSC members training 60 Nigerians every month so that within 10 months they would have trained 600 citizens in each state of the federation.
Through the collaboration with the NYSC, state governments and private partners, NITDA will empower citizens across all 774 LGAs with the foundational digital skills needed to thrive in the digital economy.
The Minister of State for Youth Development, Mr. Ayorele Olawande Wisdom, said President Tinubu’s Government “is ready to revamp the nation’s economy,” pointing out that “President Tinubu has given us the opportunity to showcase ourselves as youths.”
Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, while commending the federal government for choosing Niger as a pilot state, asserted that “digital literacy is the way forward,” promising that: “Niger State has keyed into the programme.”
